Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale
by Jul-chan84
Summary: Kaede's life journey was never an easy one. From the death of her sister to the reawakening of an old foe, she had been young once. This is her tale of sadness, love, and surviving every obstacle in her path. Comments are greatly appreciated.
1. Chapter One: Suffocating

Disclaimer: I do not own the show Inuyasha or the characters. Rumiko Takahashi's brilliant imagination created them, so they belong to her. I'm always broke and all I have to my name right now is a stick of gum. So please don't sue. Thank you. Jul-chan

Eternity's Passing

Chapter One: Suffocating

Suffocate; it was a word that means to be deprived of oxygen. It also means becoming uncomfortable due to the lack of air. This was the way Kaede had felt as she watched her older sister, Kikyo's body burn. It wasn't from the intense smoke, or the stench of burning flesh with burial herbs. While those alone would cause distress to someone's breathing, they didn't really bother her. It was the fact that she had lost the only family she ever had.

She was very young when her parents had died from a mysterious illness. It had swept through the village, taking many lives along with it. Kikyo was thirteen at the time and had to raise Kaede afterwards. The illness was what made Kikyo decide to be a priestess. She hoped to make a difference in the small village, hoping to prevent future illness outbreaks. Kikyo did not have an easy time of caring for her sister while training. While the village women helped out with Kaede, the future priestess felt that she should have most of the responsibilities. Kaede remembered that she followed Kikyo around, helping out whenever she could. She even had an affinity to herbs. The little girl had proven to be useful when it came to helping her sister with healing. Kaede even had this sixth sense about things that she had developed without training, unlike Kikyo. She felt important, not like the little sister that was never needed. Unfortunately, that feeling changed when Kikyo became the protector of the Shikon no Tama. The jewel of four souls was said to give whatever or whoever that possessed it great power. It often corrupted the minds of humans and demons alike, but Kikyo was strong enough to withstand the jewel's influence. She even had the power to purify it, which was one of the main reasons she was chosen to protect it. From then on, Kikyo had developed stronger spiritual powers along with excellent use with a bow and arrow.

Her left eye began to burn as a tear formed. It felt strange to have only one eye tear up. She had lost her right during the attack that had taken her sister away. Kikyo, the powerful, invincible priestess had fallen in her duty to protect the Shikon no Tama. Kaede hated to learn about how fragile human life was the hard way. No matter how powerful someone became, they were still human. They were prone to the same human weaknesses such as fear, pain, love, anger, and sadness. Even the strongest can fall to one the smallest weaknesses. Kikyo had fallen to love. While she had not confided to her younger sister, Kaede knew that Kikyo had feelings for the half demon Inuyasha. She had often caught the two of them together; they were either walking or just talking. The girl knew not of what the two had planned, but she felt that something would happen. That something wasn't good. The end result was that Inuyasha was now sealed to a tree and her sister was dead.

Kaede refused to watch as her sister's ashes were gathered up to be placed in a special urn. She wandered from the mourning crowd to get some fresh air. If it was not her own grief that was suffocating her, then it was that of the wailing group that surrounded her. How could anyone feel deeper loss than she? It was her sister that she had lost. But… Kikyo had touched so many lives. She was recognized as a powerful priestess who used her spiritual powers for good. There was also the fact that she was beautiful. Everyone said that she brightened up a cloudy day with only her presence. She had cured all of their ailments and was a comfort to those who needed it. Kikyo was what held the tiny village together after the outbreak. It prospered now thanks to her touch. Now that she was gone, who would take her place? Can there be another Kikyo?

No, there is no one in this world that could replace her sister.

She realized that she was near the cave that a bandit named Onigumo stayed. The sisters had found him severely burned and near death. Kikyo, whose duty was to show compassion to all human kind, had insisted that they care for him. Kaede had some reservations. She had noticed that the stranger's eyes stayed overly long on Kikyo, and she also noticed something darker and very primal glinted in them. It was not just Kikyo he lusted after, but the young girl knew he hungered for the power of the sacred jewel. For some reason, her ill feelings were stronger around that man than for Inuyasha. But as she walked by the cave, she had an eerie feeling. It encouraged her to check the cave, to see what she would find. To her surprise, she found nothing when there was a severely injured man there the morning before. There was no sign of Onigumo, except for a spot in the cave where grass did not grow. Her initial reasoning was that maybe a demon had slipped in and did something with the bandit, but deep down she knew it was something darker. But what could it be?

Not wanting to dwell on the creepy feeling in the cave, Kaede left and kept wandering on. Thoughts drifted through her head. What was she going to do? Where would she go? What now? She was starting to feel suffocated again until she found herself in the very forest that Inuyasha was sealed in. Finding the sealed half demon she just stood and stared at him. This was the very demon that had taken her sister away. He was the reason she lost both Kikyo and her right eye. The half demon who gets a forest named after him, yet he did not look so dangerous pinned to the tree like that.

"Not so tough now, are you?" she spoke. Her hand went to the bandage that covered the right side of her face. Scars replaced where her eye once was, thanks to some flying debris from his attack. It would be a permanent reminder of all she had lost.

She did not worry so much for her eye. It was just that she wished that it was the only thing she had lost. If Kikyo were here, she would have helped Kaede to deal with it. But how can an eleven year old deal with the loss of her sister on her own? She looked back to Inuyasha. He took it all away.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why did you do it?"

Not that she expected an answer from the sealed half-demon.

"If only she hadn't wasted the last of her strength on you. She could have had her wounds tended to before going after the stupid jewel shard. It was not that important."

But it was, she silently amended. With that jewel in his hands, he would have been very powerful. He wanted to be a full demon after all. Just thinking of how dangerous he could have been made her appreciate her sister's sacrifice even more, but it still hurt. She couldn't get how peaceful he looked despite everything that happened. It wasn't fair. There was this incredible urge to go up and yank off those white ears of his. One for her eye and one for her sister. Something had stopped her though. There was something about Inuyasha that told her that he wasn't completely at fault. Of course she ignored it.

"It's not fair." She said aloud this time before turning around to go back to the village.

It was sun down when she was greeted by the villagers. They finally remembered Kaede, the little sister of Kikyo. The main person affected by the entire ordeal. What is she supposed to do now? She looked around and saw traces of sadness and hopelessness on the villagers' faces. Who would they look to for support and healing? Suddenly realization dawned on her. She was being very selfish thinking that Kikyo was only important to her. That she was the only dependent person for Kikyo to look after. Here were all these villagers that had watched over them as they grew up without a mother and father and was taken care of by one of the very orphans. Kikyo had been everyone's hope and protector. With her gone, who would take care of them now? Where is their source of hope? After watching most of the villagers break down in grief and hopelessness, she had enough, especially when one of them had wailed in despair.

"The world is at an end! Lady Kikyo has been slain and we are now doomed. We have no one!"

Suddenly she was compelled to stand on a pile of debris. Although she knew what she was doing, she did not know why. All she knew was that she was beginning to feel suffocated again as she was surrounded by the crowd, and she had no idea what she was doing. She was trying to fight it, trying to find that fragment of control that she had held on to for so long but lost. She was about to run away and fight the feeling to do whatever it is her body was making her do. There was no way she was going to give all control over to some unknown force. Or she could be losing her mind. The pressure of grief may have made her break down finally. Whatever it was, she did not want to submit to it. But as she saw that the crowd finally noticed her, she calmed a little. They probably thought that she finally cracked as well and were very worried. It was not good to see the sister of the dead priestess to lose her mind above all things. She decided that she did have control over one thing, and that was to trust her instincts.

"Yes, Kikyo is dead, but it is not the end of the world. She was just a woman who cared for her village all who lived in it. Her duties were further realized when she was chosen to protect the Shikon no Tama."

"That was what her death was, a final duty to protect us. She sacrificed the last of her strength in protecting the jewel, and then she ordered it burned with her body to protect us. Since she had done her duty, we have to do ours. We must rebuild and carry on. It is what she would have wanted.

Everyone was staring at her in awe and then cheered, thus boosting her confidence. Even though she was a child, she had to grow up faster than normal. She must take care of this small village like her sister before her. She would have to become the next village priestess.

Note: This is my first Inuyasha fan fiction, so please be gentle in your reviews. This is the first chapter among several that I have planned for this. As you can see this is about Kaede's life after Kikyo's death. What I hoped to convey in this chapter was how she might have felt during her sister's funeral. I never had a sister so I wouldn't know how it would feel to have one, much less to lose one. But I'm sure I would feel pretty bad.

Forgive me for the sloppy quality that may have been placed in this chapter. I'm happy with it, but I'm sure that I could do better. I kept running into a huge block whenever it came to this part, so I had written out what I could. Since it's done I'll have better ideas now. Thus is my life.

This story will be about Kaede and her life in between Kikyo's death and Kagome's arrival. Kaede will not be saying things like 'ye' or anything like that. It kinda takes away from the story, plus it's a pain trying to remember to write it that way. I will warn you that this is not for the Kikyo flamers, for Kaede will have very fond memories of her sister. I believe that Kikyo wasn't that much different from Kagome before her death. Maybe a bit more subdued, but just as kind and warm. Any who… I hope that you enjoyed this. The next chapter should be a bit better. If you leave a review, I don't care if you enjoyed the fic or not, but please keep any comment or criticism polite. Thank you. Jul-chan


	2. Chapter Two: Old Friends, New Faces

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters that are with it. They come from the wonderful imagination of Rumiko Takahashi. I do own Nidoriko and other characters that are not a part of that wonderful anime and manga. I am just a penniless fan fiction writer borrowing Ms. Takahashi's characters and putting them within my own twisted little world. All I own is a stick of gum and a nickel. Please don't sue. You can have the nickel though. Thank you.

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Two: Old Friends, New Faces

Sunlight reflected off her long dark hair as she stood outside the small hut. She could hear the hustle and bustle from within as the occupant was preparing herbs, for anything might happen today. The young beautiful woman smiled as she herd a small explicative from behind the door covering, and tried not to laugh. Finally the hut's owner stepped out and gave a surprised gasp before realizing who was standing on her porch.

"Nidoriko, don't startle me like that! At least announce your arrival whenever you visit me."

The tall and willowy woman that stood there was chuckling, her face lit up with mirth.

"It's nice to see you as well, Kaede. Other than nearly dying with fright, I sense that you are doing very well."

Kaede turned around with a "Humph!" before turning to go back inside her hut.

"Come on in, Nidori. I shall pour you some tea."

The young priestess waited as the taller woman carefully entered the hut. Once inside, Kaede had taken her hand to guide her to a spot in the floor.

"Sit right here." She then sat right across from Nidoriko and poured her a cup of tea made from special herbs, which gave it a purplish hue. Nidoriko had taken a sip and smiled.

"Wonderful job once again, Kaede. It took the pain right away. Though, dare I ask what it is that you added?"

"Now Nidori, you know if I reveal the secret ingredient it won't be as appealing." Kaede said in an 'as a matter of fact' manner. Nidoriko nodded,

"That is true. I'm glad that I can't see what color it is. I doubt that I would have even sniffed it."

"I guess being blind can have a few quirks, but I for one am glad that I can see at least through one eye."

Nidori smiled, but the look in her sightless eyes gave away her inner pain. Kaede sighed then reached over to pat her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I let my mouth out run my brain it seems." The woman across from her shook her head, her disposition illuminating once again.

"Oh don't worry about that, Kaede. Your ability to speak your mind is what I like about you. You are very much like Kikyo in that aspect. She was such a dear friend of mine; I miss her a great deal."

It was Kaede's turn to smile sadly. Kikyo…

Nine years had passed since her sister's untimely death. Not a single day went by that Kaede did not think about Kikyo. While the pain she felt every time she thought about her failed to change, she had. At twenty years of age, she had grown from a girl and into a young woman. While she wasn't the blossomed beauty that Kikyo was, she was considered an attractive woman. She did not have that graceful figure that her sister possessed, but a curvier one which most of the village men found desirable. What made her all the more appealing was the white eye patch that she wore on the right side of her face. It had loaned her a mysterious and forbidden quality, which the male population wanted to explore. But the young woman had remained true to her calling and trained to become a very capable priestess. Now she was widely respected as was her sister before her, even though she did not consider herself a replacement. No one could ever replace Kikyo. Not even the deceased priestess' sister.

Kaede looked up at Nidoriko and noticed the unwavering and sightless gaze that she was leveling towards her. For a moment she almost thought that her friend had regained her sight, until she spoke.

"I can sense your loneliness, Kaede. Don't forget that I make up for my lost sight two-fold."

The priestess smiled. Nidoriko was Kikyo's childhood friend who had moved away to another village to be married. She had been widowed two years later, but remained in the village visiting Kikyo whenever she could. After news of Kikyo's death reached her village, she rushed to be with Kaede immediately. Ever since then, she had stayed to help Kaede with her training as she strived to take her sister's place. Because of Nidoriko, Kaede never felt lonely. It was almost like having another older sister there. But, she still couldn't replace Kikyo.

"What is the real reason for your visit, Nidori? I can sense that there is another reason for your being here." Kaede took the other woman's hand and pressed a cloth of sorts into it. Nidori smiled her thanks as she wiped the corners of her mouth. When she wasn't immediately responding to the question, Kaede's suspicion grew.

"Kaede, can't I just visit an old friend?"

"Nidoriko, tell me."

Nidoriko gave a resigned sigh, before finally acquiescing,

"Fine, I shall tell you." Her tone grew serious as she stated, "I had a vision."

"And…?" Kaede prompted.

"It was about you."

"Don't tell me then. I have no wish to know what's in store for me. Remember, I have my own way of sensing things that will happen."

Nidoriko shook her head.

"Actually this was not very clear. My feelings are telling me to reveal it to you as I saw it. I know how you feel about this, but trust me."

Kaede shrugged, giving into her curiosity.

"Go ahead then. This is the only time I'll hear of any visions concerning me."

Nidoriko smiled, pleased that her friend was finally giving in.

"What I see is that you will have to remain strong and steady, for you will become…" she trailed as if searching for the word. "…lost."

Kaede's good eye focused its gaze on Nidoriko.

"Lost? Where on Earth will I go to get lost? I've been pretty much everywhere, and I do manage to find my way back if I do get lost."

Nidoriko shook her head.

"I only meant that figuratively. As I said, my vision is not very clear." She said in an almost apologetic manner.

The younger woman shook her head.

"Never mind, maybe you'll be at peace now that you told me. At least until another vision comes up."

Kaede gathered the cups and set them on the small tray and stood to put them away. Nidoriko stood as well and waited for Kaede to assist the woman on her way out. The older woman brushed the wrinkles from her light blue kimono and straightened the bow of her yellow obi that had orange flowers embroidered all over it. Nidoriko was slightly more beautiful than both Kikyo and Kaede. What made her stand out the most was her warm smile and kind persona. She would always go out of her way to help anyone who needed it, despite her own disability. When she was younger, Nidoriko suffered severe headaches and had collapsed. When she came to, she found that she had lost her sight completely and would never regain it back. She would have given up hope if it wasn't for the visions she had been receiving. Then there was the fact that her body made up for one lost sense by enhancing another, which was to be able to _feel_ the world around her. She had helped Kaede to perfect this a little, to be a bit more accurate in what she sensed.

"Lady Kaede!" a distressed voice rang out from the distance. Kaede looked in the direction it came from and saw a young man running as fast as he can towards her. The young man, a farmer's son named Hiroshi, collapsed at her feet trying to catch his breath.

"Hiroshi! What in the world is the matter?"

"Lady Kaede, the men that were patrolling outside the gates had found a man. He was seriously wounded, so they sent me to fetch you."

The priestess turned to look at Nidoriko apologetically.

"I must go tend to this urgent matter."

The older woman nodded in understanding.

"Of course, Kaede; go collect what you need and hurry to the injured man. I'll tend to poor little Hiroshi here." With that said, Nidoriko helped Hiroshi to his feet. "Now Hiroshi, would you mind escorting me home. You can have some water when we get there." She offered while bestowing one of her sweetest smiles on him.

"Y…yes, Miss Nidoriko. I…it would b…be my pleasure." He stammered as the beautiful widow had put her arm through his. Hiroshi was a very flighty fourteen year old… especially when it came to pretty ladies like Nidoriko.

Kaede shook her head as she immediately went to fetch all that she'll need for when she gets there. Quickly checking to make sure she had all that she needed, she threw it all inside a bag and hurried out the door. On her way she had met a man named Tanosuke, who normally stood watch at the gate. He bowed formally before gesturing outside the open gate.

"Lady Kaede, I will lead you to the wounded man. He's not very far from here and the other men will be there, just in case something happens."

Kaede waved off his concerns.

"Tanosuke, I will be fine. I am very skilled with a bow and arrow despite my 'defect'. I also have very effective spiritual powers at my use. Of course, I trust the men to do their duty just as effectively."

The guard held on to whatever argument he had, but allowed a disapproving grunt instead. They finally made it to where the men had found the young man and the sight of him lying in the road made her almost dread arriving.

Blood was everywhere. The man was in a pool of it with what was left of his clothing soaked with it. His hair was wet with the sticky substance and it kept pouring out of the wounds that were all over his body. It was a miracle that he was still alive. The man looked so out of shape, she was afraid to move him lest she made things worse. But she had to see where else he was injured. He was on his stomach, his face turned to the side which was a good thing. Otherwise he would have drowned in his own blood. She instructed that the men turn him over, and gasped at what she saw. He had a large hole in his stomach and huge gashes on his chest and legs. Finally learning where all the blood was coming from, she wondered how it was that he survived. Setting all questions aside, she commanded that the men move him to a cleaner area so she could set to work immediately. She mostly cleaned around the wounds, bandaging them up snuggly to staunch any blood flow. From the looks of it he couldn't afford to lose much more.

Two men had finally arrived with a stretcher made of bamboo and sturdy cloth to carry the wounded man back to village. Kaede had instructed them to carry him to her hut.

"But Lady Kaede…" Tanosuke objected along with the other men.

"I don't know what you are objecting about." She stated with a tinge of annoyance in her tone.

"We don't know what manner of man he is, my lady. What if he is a bandit that had intentions to do us harm. He was very near the village."

The other men seemed to agree with him. A bead of sweat appeared on her forehead. She could not believe what she was hearing.

"We do not have time for this. What harm could this man possibly do? He's near death, unless he's very lucky, it's doubtful that he will make the night. Now carry him to my hut at once!" she said rather forcibly. It was the first time in years since they had found a wounded stranger outside the gate. The last person they had found was the bandit, Onigumo. Ever since his mysterious disappearance, the people were a little wary. Kaede would assure herself that a hungry demon must have discovered him. As time passed, Onigumo was just another faded memory.

"Yes, Lady Kaede." The men finally resigned and did as she bade them to do. Of course they were not above assigning men outside her hut once they had him inside. At least they are out of my way, she had thought while immediately tending to her patient. She had the help of a village woman to remove the man's ragged and bloody clothes and to help clean his wounds.

"Amika, when you finish cleaning those gashes on his legs, put this herbal paste on them before bandaging him up."

She inspected the major wound after cleaning it. It was of the likes of which she never seen before. A red line had formed around it, which was a sign of infection. She had cleaned it up the best she could as well as applying the best herbal medicine to it. After applying cloths to stop further blood flow, she finally bandaged him up. Amika had assisting in washing him while Kaede rinsed the blood from his face and hair. He was a very handsome man with prominent features. From what she could guess, he had black hair and was proven right once she rinsed out the blood. The most striking thing about his appearance was the white jagged streak in his hair. It was unusual for a human to have strange nuances like that, and she did not sense any demonic auras around him.

"Is there anything else that you wish for me to help you with, my lady?" Amika's soft voice had broken through her musings. Kaede looked up and saw that the woman had dressed him in some white pants. She was anxiously awaiting further orders, but the priestess saw the fatigue that was settled in her eyes. The priestess smiled.

"I will be fine, Amika. You go on and return to your family. I'm sure that Tanosuke is awaiting you."

"Are you sure, Lady Kaede?"

"Yes, I can handle things from here. If anything changes I know where you live, or I could fetch someone else. Go on and get your rest."

Amika smiled in silent gratitude. Kaede watched her leave then looked to her new and unconscious patient.

"You get your rest too. I can't have you dying on me now after surviving this long. I'm surprised that you have with that wound of yours."

She wasn't sure if anyone can reach a person when they are unconscious, but she was willing to try. From her experiences, it usually caused a positive reaction whenever she spoke to someone who was out of it for a few days.

Kaede walked over to where her white _yukata_ hung and began to undress. She released her long hair from the tie that held it back and shook it loose. The feel of it as it graced her skin sent a delicious shiver down her spine. To her it was her best feature and the most beautiful part about her. Kikyo used to comb it every night when she was little, for it was the only time that Kaede would have her sister all to herself. They would talk about what they did whenever they weren't together and would tell each other stories. It was their time to bond. The young priestess remembered the men outside her hut and quickly dressed. She did not wish for them to burst in on her like poor Hiroshi did once.

It was a year ago when the boy had rushed in announcing "Miyaka is having her baby!" It was then that he saw a very nude Kaede in the middle of changing her clothes. He was so shocked, he did not move. So Kaede's mortification turned to anger as she began to shout various explicitives at the boy and throwing random objects at him. It took poor Hiroshi days to get over the shock before he managed to block the memory from his mind. That was probably the cause of his extreme nervousness around women.

The priestess dressed in her _yukata _swiftly and checked on her patient. She frowned as she felt his hot skin, a sign of infection. Normally fevered patients suffer an extreme case of delirium and would wake in the middle of the night with no idea of who or where they are. In the worse case scenario, this one might not last the night. He barely had any strength in him due to the extreme loss of blood. She didn't know if he would be strong enough to fight the inner demons that resided in fevered minds.

"I hope, for your sake, that you survive. It would be a shame to succumb so easily after fighting so hard."

Before she lay down on her futon, she made sure that all her supplies would be ready just in case something happened to the villagers or her patient. "Always be at the ready." Kikyo had once said. With that memory tucked away in her mind, she had finally lain down in her bed and fell asleep.

_"Kaede, why aren't you asleep?" a young woman asked as she found the child right next to her._

"_Kikyo, a bad dream woke me up and I can't go back to sleep. Can you please tell me a story?" the girl asked while gazing at her older sister pleadingly. The young woman sighed with a bit of fatigue showing in her features. Kikyo, the village priestess had just slain another demon that was after the precious pink jewel she was protecting. It had been a long night of tending to those who were injured in the fight. She also helped clean up the mess that the demon made._

"_Aren't you a little too old for my stories?" she asked while yawning shortly afterwards._

"_Please, Kikyo… I'll go right back to sleep and I won't bug you like this anymore. I promise." _

_Kikyo managed to get a good look at her little sister's face and released a tired and resigned sigh. Kaede always managed to get a story out of Kikyo by just giving her the saddest look she could muster. She knew how tired her sister was, but all she wanted was to hear the priestess' voice… just so she knew that she was there. She smiled happily when Kikyo patted a spot next to her in the small futon. Kaede slipped under the blanket and listened as her sister's voice engulfed her._

"_I once heard of an enchanted village filled with people who can live forever. They are said to be ruled by the most handsome prince in the world…"_

Kaede had been awakened by a masculine cry. She quickly sat up as she noticed that her patient was tossing and turning while muttering incoherent words. All the priestess was worried about was that he would reopen the wounds in his struggles. Because he was so weak, he did not have the strength to fight her off when she straddled him and placed her hands firmly on his chest to keep him from moving. But he continued to mutter things… He kept mentioning something about a demon and several men. Must be about his recent ordeal, she thought. She reached over to a bowl with cold water to grab a folded cloth that was inside, and placed it on his head after wringing out the excess water. His skin was a deathly pale, but fever blushed in his cheeks. When she was cleaning his wounds, she had noticed the defined muscled planes of his chest and abdomen. He must have been a strong man before his incident. Kaede had wondered at what he must have been. A warrior, definitely, but was he just any warrior? Was he a high ranking official, or was he just minor soldier serving under one?

The priestess briefly worried over her slight fascination with this man, until she remembered that he was new. She knew everyone in all the villages that she visited. It's been years since a new face showed up at her gates like this. He turned his head sharply, his face to her, and the quick movement made the cloth slide off his forehead. It was then that she lost control over one little action. Impulse made her reach her fingers to lightly brush the dark strands of hair from his face. Though her touch was light, her patient slightly stirred and opened his eyes. Kaede gasped in surprise and in awe. His eyes were of the most unusual color for a human. They were gray, storm gray. She finally realized that she was still straddling her patient, and her night kimono was disheveled with it riding up her legs and nearly sliding off her shoulder. Despite his current condition, her patient obviously noticed too for he smiled weakly and said, "Being dead isn't so bad after all."

If that wasn't bad enough, her 'guards' chose that moment to storm in after hearing some noises from inside the hut. The priestess and guards kept looking back and forth towards each other and to the patient. The patient however passed back out with a blissful smile on his face.

Note: I know, long chap but I like it better than my last. It's a bit rushed though. Again I was trying to get past all the little introductory stuff, but I love how I ended it. Such a nice little spot to leave Kaede in, is it not? I do plan on editing everything, such as grammar and everything us writers have to worry about.

For those of you who don't know, a _yukata_ is a more informal kimono. It's very light so it's worn in the summer. Today it is the most commonly worn kimono during summer events. (if memory serves me right that is) In the old days it was worn for after baths and was worn loosely. But in any case Kaede wears it as a night kimono in the story, because I say she does. :0p I hope my information is right. I had read about somewhere, but don't be afraid to correct me if I'm wrong.

If you have any questions about something in my story, email me at Other than that just review. Thank you to those who already have.

Jul-chan


	3. Chapter Three: Her Ever Present Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters that are with it. They come from the wonderful imagination of Rumiko Takahashi. I do own Nidoriko and other characters that are not a part of that wonderful anime and manga. I am just a penniless fan fiction writer borrowing Ms. Takahashi's characters and putting them within my own twisted little world. All I own is a stick of gum and a nickel. Please don't sue. You can have the nickel though. Thank you.

Before you read this chapter:

I am going to point out that I had been in a rush when I wrote this. It's not anything like the original chapter I had written (don't ask me about how I lost it…). This is more rushed since life decides to get hectic once again. However, I do plan to rewrite this chapter later. I like how it turned out though. I will mention more in the notes after the fic.

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Three: Her Ever Present Shadow

No matter how depressing the subject, people always had this morbid fascination with death. Mainly it was because the intriguing aspect of life (or the end of it, so to speak) had brought on so much curiosity. How would one know what dying was like? No one lived to tell about it, which was the entire concept of death, for no one survived (unless there was a miracle). So many are wont to imagine how they would die. Sometimes they imagine their demise in numerous ways. Kaede was one of them, for she had often wondered how her life would end. But never in a million years had she thought about dying of humiliation. Not that she would die from the shock of it, but that she was praying for it. Her exact thoughts that concerned the predicament; if there were any merciful deities, then they would kill her right then and there so she would not have to suffer the mortifying experience much longer. Unfortunately, the gods weren't that benevolent. To make matters worse, Tanosuke had to burst in, weapon drawn with murder in his eyes. Could things have gotten any worse?

Fortunately, they had not. Tanosuke had managed to recover from his shock long enough to order the other men to wait outside until further notice. The priestess had managed to regain her composure while gathering the last scraps of her dignity, which she needed, for Tanosuke was not above tormenting her about "taking advantage of injured patients". She had never forgotten how a very amused smirk appeared on his face at her expense. Kaede had known that if he wanted to, he could have used it to his advantage… of course if she had not been a fully capable priestess, he could have. He finally left the hut after hearing her explanation, which the idiot had already known, to force the men to not mention the night again. If he had opened that mouth of his to speak foul of her, she would have made Amika give him a 'special' tea. The priestess checked on the young man and found that his fever had gone down to a safe level. Feeling comfortable enough with his current condition, she had decided that she could go for a walk. The soft streams of color in the sky had signaled that daylight was near. She never had a prayer to fall back to sleep, so she had started her morning off with a stroll.

Her walks were normally very uneventful, but they had always seemed to rejuvenate her, especially since the air was so clean and clear of stifling herbs that always pervaded her hut. Also it had cleared her mind of the little event that had taken place moments before. As the sun had finally risen to the sky, she returned home to gather any supplies she had needed for the day. Mostly her day consisted of visiting different villagers and helping out whenever she could, examining the sick and the injured, or just to be a friend when someone had hit upon hard times (which was very often those days). Other days she would patrol around the village, keeping it safe from demons or humans with ill intentions towards those she had sworn to protect. It was as her sister before her had done.

Kaede had finally made it home. It was a very pretty morning, she had observed. The villagers were out and about their daily tasks while children ran and played outside. Everyone was taking advantage of the wonderful day. She wore a smile as she entered the hut which had fell when she noticed that something of importance was missing, her patient. Frantic, she rushed to find someone, preferably Tanosuke. What if something happened while she was away? Then again, a villager would have informed her of any danger. So, what happened with her patient? She stopped in her rush when she saw a figure sitting with their back against a tree. Upon closer inspection she had discovered that it was her patient. While all the panic and fear had vanished, she felt unnerved. It wasn't just from the fact that he managed to walk two miles from her hut with a gaping hole in his stomach. It wasn't even from the fact that he seemed to be perfectly healthy, unlike the day before when he was so near death. It was from the effect of his gray eyes staring up at her when she arrived. More unnerving was the small smirk that played on his lips, as if he knew something that she didn't. That smirk drew strange sensations in her. Her breath hitched, for it seemed that she had forgotten how to breathe.

"More flies get eaten like that." a voice had broken through her daze.

"Huh?" was all she could manage for it seemed that she had forgotten how to speak properly as well.

"You know flies… They are little bugs with wings. Quite annoying actually…"

"I…I know what they are!" Kaede interrupted, forgetting all events, current and past. "What about them?"

Mischief gleamed in his eyes as he noticed her getting all ruffled. He slowly stood up while placing a hand on the tree for support, a sign that he had not _completely_ recovered. The breeze shifted a few strands of his hair. Silver danced upon black as he approached her. She was mesmerized. His features were very odd for him being a human, yet he was not a demon. Of course she had to doubt her thinking when she found that he was right in front of her fingering her white eye patch.

"Why are you wearing this?" he asked. His voice was smooth like silk. It would have been considered intoxicating. At least she thought that it should be.

"Huh?" she had forgotten how to speak again. He chuckled at the stupefied expression on her face.

"Cute, but it doesn't really answer my question."

"Your question?" she kind of repeated.

"We are not going to play this game are we? What's with the eye patch?"

Eye patch… her mind worked to remember. Here she was, Kaede the great village priestess, getting all mushy brained over a man. Not just any man, but a stranger that happened to be very distinguished. Suddenly all reasoning returned.

"You will return to the hut with me and get back to bed." She stated with her regained authority.

"Oh, she is so forward! I kind of like that in a priestess." That damn smirk followed the remark. This only irritated her further.

"I meant that you need to get your rest. You were terribly injured the day before and nearly died. With the extent of your injuries, you should not even be carrying on like you are now. Surely no normal human being would be walking about after sustaining the wounds that you possess."

For awhile the man did not say anything. He sighed then opened the shirt that he was wearing to reveal… nothing. Kaede was stunned once again. Where there were once really deep cuts, smooth and perfect flesh remained. Not even a scar marked his skin. The only evidence of an attack on his body was where the deep gash in his stomach was. It had closed up without her having to stitch it up (it was bleeding heavily and was too infected).

"As you can see, my lady priestess, I am not a normal human being."

"H…how?" she muttered to herself. He had heard and was inclined to answer.

"I just heal much faster than normal. I also never become ill, unless I'm poisoned. Sometimes certain herbs will affect me as well."

Again, the priestess had forgotten how to speak. How was it that she had seen numerous nice looking men unclothed and remain unaffected, while this one seemed to have her mind going in circles? She blamed it on his uncanny ability to heal serious wounds in one night. There was just no explanation for it. No, it could not have been from seeing his well toned chest, unmarred from any wounds that have been there.

"Now it's my turn. What's with your eye?" he stated, interrupting her self debate. Her cloudy mind was trying to come up with a memory of what was wrong with her eye, she was about to answer with her baffled "Huh?" until she became aware of herself again. She did not know this man's name, neither did he know hers. Now why should she tell him anything about her past? She reasoned as her logic returned.

"That's hardly any of your concern." She answered sternly.

The stranger stared at her with his storm gray eyes, the smirk giving way to a small displeased frown. She suddenly felt scrutinized, and was beginning to feel something she never before... well that is if you didn't count that very morning. Kaede was feeling self conscious.

"And may I ask why not?" He had a small edge that proved his irritability. The beautiful man did not like to be told 'no' so it seemed.

"I don't know you, that's why. I don't even know your name nor do you know mine."

"Raiken." He stated.

"Rai… Excuse me?" she studied him strangely.

"My name is Raiken. Now you know my name and of my ability to heal quickly, I would like to know your name and why you are wearing that patch over your eye."

"I am the village priestess, Lady Kaede. As for my eye, all you will need to know it was from an accident." She replied shortly. The man, or Raiken he is called, grinned.

"That's all I cared to hear." He stretched out his arms, which opened his loosened shirt further exposing the toned muscles that had lied beneath. "I will be man enough to admit that you are right about getting my rest. This little chat has worn me out considerably." It was evident for lines had formed around his eyes and mouth, a sign of fatigue and pain. Kaede finally remembered who, where, and what she was as well as her duties. She looked up to find that he was no longer in front of her, but walking back towards her hut. Normally she was more aware of her surroundings, but earlier she had been in a daze. Blaming it on the lack of decent sleep, she followed Raiken home to make sure he didn't collapse on the way. After they reached her hut and he was back in bed sleeping soundly, she wondered at this stranger with the gray eyes and silver streak in his hair. Where did he come from and how come he can heal quickly? He was an enigma, this strange man. Sighing, she left the hut to attempt at going about her normal routine.

Within the next two days she had gotten to know her patient a bit more. About how he was a soldier traveling as escort to his lord and other men. He told her that he had broken away from the group accidentally and was attacked by some lizard like demon. The demon had nearly done him in until he took his sword into the creature's evil heart. In return he must have received the almost fatal wound in the gut. Then he managed to drag himself all the way towards the village before losing consciousness from severe blood loss.

"If it wasn't for your tender and loving care, I probably would have died." He had said in closing to his tale, a grin following the statement. That was something else Kaede had learned about Raiken, he was a charmer. He won over nearly all the women of the village, from giggling girls to the village matrons who were pleased to have such a handsome young man in the village. His stomach wound was taking some time to heal for some strange reason, but at least he was no longer in danger. The man was getting out more and more and not tiring so easily. He even entertained the villagers with tales while Kaede was seeing to others' needs. She had often found him telling battle stories or he would talk about the different places he had seen while traveling with his lord. Of course he loved to tell the story about his recent ordeal, which had the women twittering about him, hanging on every word.

"Oh Mr. Raiken, that sounded so... dangerous!" one of the girls emphasized while clinging to his arm. The girl was six years younger than Kaede, a giggly girl, as she called them for that is what they do when admiring the young village men. They get all giggly and act silly. She used to pass it off as the behavior of a young girl, but lately it had gotten on her nerves. More so when they clamp on to him to make sure he wouldn't fade away.

"Mr. Raiken, d…do you have anyone w…waiting for you back home?" one of the girls asked shyly as she batted her eyelashes.

"No, Miss Toriko, I don't have anyone waiting for me."

Amidst all the girlish giggles of approval, Kaede had released her breath that she was not aware of holding. Why had she been so relieved? Of course, any poor girl would probably have been worried if her love never returned, Kaede thought. During these times of war and strife, many men never return home to the awaiting arms of family or loved ones. How many women had she consoled over a lost brother, father, son, intended, or husband? The day after his regaling tales to the women, he accompanied her on her visits with some of the sick village dwellers. On her way to one person's house, she had spotted Nidoriko arm in arm with Hiroshi. Surprisingly enough, the boy wasn't a sputtering mess as normal. He was chatting quite efficiently with the older woman while guiding her along the small path through the village. It seemed that spending time with Nidoriko had helped the boy gain some confidence, at least when he was in her presence. The two seemed inseparable now. Nidoriko also seemed happier, for spending time with the boy had helped her in her self-esteem. Ever since she had lost her sight, due to an unknown illness, she often felt unattractive since she was unable to see otherwise. Kaede smiled as she watched Nidoriko say something to Hiroshi, causing the young man to blush a little. Hiroshi was her ever present shadow now. Noticing the young priestess, the boy said something to the older woman and both waved. Waving back, Kaede continued on her way to see a patient with Raiken in tow.

Three days later, Nidoriko had been walking with Hiroshi while running an errand. Kaede had been so busy, the older woman hadn't been able to sit and talk with her friend in days. The only reason she would disturb her friend from her duties would be whenever she had this nagging little pain in her head, the one she had since her illness. It had been seven years since she had last seen the light of day, since she had seen the moon and stars, and since she had last seen her friend's face. The near crippling illness had stolen that away from her, but it also gave her an extra sense as if to make up for the one lost. There were also the visions.

That day when walking through the village, she had overheard the village women sigh when talking about Kaede's guest.

"He's so handsome! I wish that I was in Lady Kaede's place. Then he would be staying with me while I tenderly care for him. Who knows what would happen during that time." One of the young women said with a dreamy tone.

"He had told Tori that he did not have anyone waiting for him back home. I'm sure if I lived in his village, I would wait an eternity for him." Another stated.

"What a fine husband he would make. He seems so strong! Just think about the beautiful children a woman could have with him." A third sighed, as if imagining herself as that woman. The rest sighed as well.

"Lady Kaede is crazy for not falling head over heels for him. Is there something wrong with her? I would give up my calling just to be with him!"

Hiroshi had described Kaede's guest as a handsome young man with dark hair with peculiar jagged streak and gray eyes. He had also informed Nidoriko that the man seemed to always be with Kaede on her outings. The older woman knew that Kaede would hardly look at a man as anything other than a patient or friend, but this seemed to be different. She had often overheard the young priestess admonishing Raiken over some little thing or she would be snapping the heads off the younger village girls who flirted with the supposedly handsome stranger. Something Kaede would normally never do. There was something about the stranger that changed Kaede, Nidoriko could feel it. Feeling the tension between the two helped in her studying of Kaede and Raiken.

"Lady Kaede is out and about today, Miss Nidoriko." Hiroshi announced. Nidoriko smiled before asking

"Really, is she alone today?"

"I'm afraid not. Mr. Raiken is with as usual. She is none too happy with him right now either."

Nidoriko had to agree since she could feel the priestess' annoyance. She also could overhear the conversation.

"It is not necessary that you follow me around, you know." Kaede grumbled as she made her way through the village."

"I am aware of that, Kaede but..." Raiken was cut off abruptly as Kaede interceded.

"I had told you many many times already... It's Lady Kaede to you. You are not familiar enough for it to be otherwise." She huffed.

"My apologies _Lady_ Kaede. I feel that it is my duty to protect you since you had saved my life. Like it or not, I am honor bound to keep you safe. As for familiarity, I think we are familiar enough with each other since we share the same hut." He stated, his voice laced with innuendo. This earned him a fruit thrown at him. Fortunately for him, he dodged it before finding that the priestess was running ahead of him. Not one to be put off, he ran after her, refusing to give up.

"Hiroshi, I believe that Raiken is now her ever present shadow." Nidoriko stated before nudging him to continue on their walk

Note: There, a bit long I know but it's done. I was hoping to convey a bit more emotion into this, but unfortunately I lost the original. As I read over all my chapters, I had realized that this will not be a masterpiece. I realize that all my fics are not the beautifully written pieces of art like those I had seen. Be that as it may, I still love them all. I'm proud of myself for what I have accomplished even if I am lacking in writing skills.

Anyway, reviews will be appreciated. I hope to have the next chapter up and running soon. Computer issues are the only things slowing me down at the moment. Reviews are welcome. I will accept compliments and flames... as long as the flames are kept viewer friendly... and constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

Jul-chan


	4. Chapter Four: A Night's Stroll

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters that are with it. They come from the wonderful imagination of Rumiko Takahashi. I do own Nidoriko and other characters that are not a part of that wonderful anime and manga. I am just a penniless fan fiction writer borrowing Ms. Takahashi's characters and putting them within my own twisted little world. All I own is a stick of gum and a nickel. Please don't sue. You can have the nickel though. Thank you.

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Four: A Good Night's Stroll

As respected as she was, Kaede failed to achieve one thing. No matter how skilled or feared she was, it was nearly impossible to gain this one thing she truly wished for. This thing was a simple enough concept, why wouldn't anyone grant it? All she ever wanted was a good bit of privacy. Sure she could sleep, eat, and bathe alone. It was just when she decided that she wanted to take a small walk, someone would always volunteer themselves as escort. Surely they knew that she was able to take care of herself should there be trouble. Her skill with the bow may not rival that of her sister's, but it certainly rivaled most of the guards. The sight she had in her good eye had made up for the one she had lost. She could spot her target from a distance better than the others. Not only did she have her skill as an archer, but she also had spiritual powers that could send a demon of great strength to his knees. So why did everyone feel that she needed protecting? Even then, as she walked through the forest, Raiken was following her. Kaede had managed to frighten off Hiroshi, out wit Tanosuke, and intimidated the rest of the poor village men. Raiken was the only one who did not seem to be put off no matter what she said or did. At least he had been following her at a distance, where she did not have to see that blasted smirk on his face. What she did not know was that she would benefit from his annoyance that day.

She had been awakened early that morning to tend a child who was running a very high fever. The situation was very dire so she had been in a rush and had forgotten her bow and arrows. The child had required constant care throughout the day. It wasn't until dusk when her young patient's fever went down and she could finally take a walk to get some fresh air. The priestess had been so tired from the lack of sleep, that she had been unaware of her surroundings. Unfortunately, it had been then that she ran into a boar like demon with a grudge against priestesses. He had a massive humanoid body and huge tusks were jutting out of his mouth. In his hands was a large battle axe, the edge coated in blood recently drawn. The most frightening feature was his beady red eyes that had a flash of madness in them. Kaede had reached behind her for her trusty weapon, but realized that she did not have it with her. Using her spiritual powers, she quickly created a field in front of the demon that would last only a few heartbeats so she could at least get a good distance away. As her luck would have it, as she began to run her foot got caught in a protruding tree root and she tripped while hearing a sickening crack as she went down. She had no time to feel the pain for her spell had worn off and the demon was charging towards her at full speed. Kaede was sure that her life was over, that death was near. Closing her good eye, she prayed that her demise would be swift and painless. Suddenly she had heard a man's voice cry out and shortly after there were sounds of battle. Daring to open her eye, she had seen Raiken and the demon locked in a battle to the death. Raiken was blocking the demon's blows with a sword and was avoiding his maddened swings. The priestess could not help but watch as the demon slammed battering blows on the young man's sword. It was a wonder that the weapon did not break under the beating it had been receiving at the time. Kaede had been afraid and at the same time fascinated. Raiken had been holding up pretty well despite his labored breathing and the pained expression he had been wearing. He did not want to back down. After what seemed to be a life time to the young woman, Raiken had found the opening he was waiting for and struck the demon in the knees. Roaring in pain, the beast had fallen. Not wasting a breath, Raiken thrust the sword into the demon's head thus killing it instantly.

The forest remained silent as the two people tried to regain their wits about them. Raiken had checked to make sure the beast was indeed dead before immediately running to Kaede's side.

"Are you all right, Kaede?" he asked with a voice heavy with worry. She looked into his eyes and saw deep concern for her. Then suddenly realization had hit her, she had been only three breaths away from death. So many feelings welled up at the thought of not being there at that moment. The thought of never seeing the beast's demise, and never feeling the relief that the man before her had just saved her life had shaken her. The shock finally wore off, but she stared into his eyes after gazing back to his face. She was captivated by the unusual color that they were, but the most captivating was that there seemed to be something ageless about him. There was a spark that she had seen only in those who had ascended into old age. It was as if he had seen many years pass by.

A glimpse of red had immediately drawn her attention and she studied the man who had saved her life.

"You are injured!" She had quickly grabbed him to examine his shoulder. The demon had struck him there, leaving a large gash.

"We need to get you back to the hut immediately." she stated, forgetting all that had transpired moments ago. She had tried to stand but a sharp pain from her ankle had caused her to fall. Fortunately, Raiken was able to catch her before she could do further injury. He sat her back down and performed his own examination of the injured foot.

"Apparently, you have more need of assistance than I." he said grimly. When Kaede had tripped, her foot had caught in the uplifted tree root. It had twisted while she fell, thus causing more damage. The young warrior would not have been surprised if it had been broken. It had already begun to swell and change color. As he touched it to locate any broken bones, she had cried out in pain.

"But you are bleeding." She was trying to brush off her injury. The healer had no desire to think about having any kind of broken bones. She had a village depending on her to heal their hurts. How could she do that if she was injured herself?

"I've had much worse than this and had managed just fine. You, on the other hand, will need more care and immediately." He had quickly gathered her in his arms before she could protest and made his way back to the village. Needless to say, Kaede was not pleased. How dare he assume to know what she needed? She was the village priestess. That alone earned respect from the nobles that she had tended to in the past. Yet as she began to calm down a little, she had realized that it was a strange feeling being in his arms. She hated to admit it but it was not a bad feeling, a feeling of protection that she had never felt before. Even the pain seemed to fade away along with her consciousness.

"I need you awake, Kaede." he whispered in her ear. Her eye fluttered open and saw that they made it to the village. It was dark and most of the villagers were safely tucked away in bed, save for a few guards on patrol. When they saw Raiken with their obviously injured priestess, they were ready to act. One stern look from Kaede and they backed away. Raiken carried her inside her hut and sat her down on her futon to inspect her ankle.

"I am going to see if you broken anything. It may be very painful, please forgive me."

He had tried to be gentle in his examination, but had not kept her from crying out as a sudden shock of pain flew from her foot to knee cap. Regardless of the injury's sensitivity, he had kept on with his inspection. Sadly, it had broken in several places in her ankle. The unfortunate thing about it was that while her ankle may heal, she would never walk right on it ever again. She would have to walk on a permanent limp. He looked up at his 'patient' and saw that she had known as well. Kaede had seemed so dismayed over her injury that he wanted to make it instantly go away. Carefully, he had splinted and bandaged her ankle and had her to lie down. He found one of her herbal teas to soothe her pain and to help her rest. The priestess had wanted to argue with him and declare that she had no need of such a thing, but a sharp pain had stated otherwise. So she relented and drank her concoction. Such a look of distaste had been on her face, Raiken couldn't help but smile. Her spirit had not diminished in the least from her ordeal. There she was injured, disheveled, and dirty and none of that had taken away from her beauty. Raiken had brought her a bowl of cool water and some cloth and started to clean some of the minor scratches on her face and arms before she fell asleep. He knew that she would have rejected his assistance, but her herbal tea was making her a bit drowsy. After he had finished up with the minor injuries, he thought to have one of the women clean her up in the morning. At the moment shock had seemed to settle in, for her body had not been used to such pain. Kaede had begun to shiver slightly and he had gathered her in his arms hoping to keep her warm. The contact had soothed her somewhat and she had suddenly fallen to blissful slumber in Raiken's hold, her head resting against his chest. He couldn't help but stare in wonder at how peaceful someone could look after being attacked like that. She had never looked so peaceful than she had right then, it was cute really. It was even more so when she snuggled against him and made a small whimpering sound as she did so. It was almost hard to believe that she was the stubborn and temperamental priestess he had gotten to know over the past few days. She could be cool and aloof if she wanted to be and go to being caring and kind as she tended to villagers and their families. He saw how she treated everyone in the village as her own family, and from the stories he had heard of her past from those willing to share it, he had imagined that in a way that they were. While she could be caring and gentle, she could also fly into a temper. That was when he thought that she could not have been any prettier until now while she was sleeping peacefully in his arms. The young priestess snuggled against him once more until she was comfortable on his shoulder and muttered a small sigh.

"Rai..." He had heard her say against his ear and he smiled. Pretty? Hell, she was beautiful.

Note: Sorry for the lame ending. Thanks for your wonderful reviews though few they are. Don't worry, I'll keep writing regardless of review count. I'll just make the darn thing longer and slower to update until I get a desired amount. Laughs evilly Not really, but it is an idea. Anyway I was gonna make this as long as my other chapters, but I thought that the ending was cute and thought to leave it there. Don't worry, more fluff in the next chapter... well maybe a bit limey more than fluffy. I'll just make it a moldy lime... those are fuzzy. It will be my first lime though, so it may not be so limey... BAH! Just read the next chapter to find out, okay? Great, thanks so much for reading this. Please review, it makes a fanfic author's day. I'll even take complaints as long as they are polite and not profane or unfounded. Thanks again. Jul-chan


	5. Chapter Five: Awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters that are with it. They come from the wonderful imagination of Rumiko Takahashi. I do own Nidoriko and other characters that are not a part of that wonderful anime and manga. I am just a penniless fan fiction writer borrowing Ms. Takahashi's characters and putting them within my own twisted little world. All I own is a stick of gum and a nickel. Please don't sue. You can have the nickel though. Thank you.

WARNING: Lime Alert! Chapter describes slight nudity and adult situations. I strongly recommend this chapter for readers fourteen and up. If you do not care for nudity or anything like that, then I suggest that you press the little 'x' button in the upper right corner or the back button. Other than that, I don't think that this is too bad, but I rather be safe than sorry. I hope that this won't take away from enjoying this fic. Thanks again.

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Five: Awakening

When Kaede had finally awoken, the mid day sun was shining brightly and the village was bustling about as usual. Shocked that everyone had let her sleep for so long, she had quickly sat up and tried to get up. Before she could possibly make one of the biggest mistakes in her life, a familiar voice warned her,

"I would not be so hasty to rise from bed, Kaede." The priestess looked at the speaker then at her bandaged and splinted foot.

"Thank you, Nidori, but someone should have woken me up this morning." She grumbled. The older woman shrugged, but smiled warmly.

"I knew that you would have wished it, but that young man had shared with me the details of your outing last night. He thought that it would have been best if you had gotten all the rest that you could. Knowing you and your ways, I couldn't help but agree." Nidoriko sipped her tea that she had been drinking then set it down in its tray. "I am very glad that he had been there to your rescue. Life would have been very dull around here without you in it."

So focused she was on remembering the previous night's events, Kaede had let the light sarcasm slide. She could not help the chill that had gone through her after thinking about how close to death she was. Looking down at her lap, she noticed that she was wearing a clean yukata and almost panicked.

"Who...?" she managed to say before Nidoriko answered.

"Don't worry, Kaede. Amika and her sister, Yumiko had washed and dressed you. That young man of yours had asked them to take care of everything, knowing that you would not wish for him to do it himself. He had even asked me to stay with you until you awaken so I can inform him of any changes. Finally, someone who trusts my capabilities despite my lack of sight."

Nidoriko could not help, but notice the priestess' lack of denial of Raiken being her 'young man'. Of course, she had thought, Kaede could have other things going on in her mind. According to Raiken, the demon was very close to having the young woman's head and she seemed pretty shaken up afterwards. Then there was that injured ankle of hers. While it may slow her down for awhile, Kaede will not lighten her responsibilities. Meaning she would not like what the two had agreed on.

"Where's my hakama? Since I have slept much longer than I intended, there is much that must be done." The priestess found her red hakama and was about to dress herself until Nidoriko snatched them away from her.

"Now, now, what did I say about being hasty?"

"But the villagers..." Kaede began.

"They will be fine without their priestess for one day. Now, Raiken has made your rounds for you. Tetsuya has been doing fine thanks to your diligent care yesterday. Old Shinji had hurt his back sometime this morning, but you could tend to that tomorrow if one day of rest does not help. Raiken and Hiroshi had volunteered to do his work. Everyone else is fine and is looking out for each other and if they ever need their healer, then they will come to you. Other than that, today is your day. Enjoy it while you can."

"But..."

"Kaede, I am older and bigger than you. You will not win." Nidoriko said as she gingerly sat back down in her spot. Kaede had sighed, knowing that she was defeated in the battle of wills. Hiroshi had walked in, his appearance haggard, and plopped down beside Nidoriko. The older woman had sensed his presence and offered him a jug of water, which he accepted gladly and drank thirstily from it.

"Thank you, Miss Nidoriko." He said after finally finishing the entire jug. Kaede couldn't help but marvel that all that water was just consumed by a single boy.

"You're welcome, Hiroshi. Have you and Raiken finished already?" Nidoriko inquired curiously.

"No, I'm afraid not. I suppose I was more of a hindrance than help, because Raiken had told me that I could come and help you. He seemed to be better off on his own."

Kaede could imagine that on a warm day such as this, that he would be thirsty.

"Do you think Raiken could use some water, Hiroshi?" she asked the boy. Hiroshi then began to blush and looked down at his lap, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"I don't think he needs any more... I mean some of the women of the village seem to be more than happy to take care of anything that he may need."

Nidoriko had felt heat radiating from where Kaede was sitting. If she had her sight, she would probably have seen the look of fury on the priestess' face. This was becoming quite amusing, really. She decided that maybe some fresh air would do her friend some good.

Kaede had been so relieved to leave her hut, she forgot all about the village women flirting with Raiken. Hiroshi had accompanied her to a stream that was just outside the village in the forest before she ordered him to return home. The poor boy was very reluctant to leave for he feared what Nidoriko would have thought. Actually he seemed to be confused of who he should be more afraid of. Since he was in striking distance, he decided to take his chances with Nidoriko and left Kaede alone. She could be quite intimidating when she was set on having her way. Finally alone, she took advantage of her surroundings. She shed her clothing and removed the bandages and splint so they would not get soaked. The stream was right at the foot of a cliff where water poured over the side from another stream, which was one of the area's best features, along with the vegetation that offered plenty of privacy. It was one of the reasons that the stream was her favorite bathing spot. Using the rocky face of the cliff for support, she moved under the waterfall so it would flow over her entire body. The cold water was very invigorating, and soothing after staying in such a stuffy hut all day. Days had been growing warmer with summer coming soon. Reaching into a secret niche in the cliff, she found a jar with a special cream made from select flora that she favored for their scents. Herbs were mixed in to make her bathing a soothing experience as well as to help lift her spirits. She certainly needed it after having to deal with her injury.

Thinking of her injury of course had brought to her mind the image of a young man with storm gray eyes, Raiken. This of course brought to her mind Hiroshi's remark of the village women doting upon said young man. Suddenly her agitation returned. Why should the thought of him being popular with the girls bother her so much? It wasn't as if she liked him or anything, or did she? Memories of the previous night had taken over her mind in fragments. The things that stood out at that moment was her fear, his gallantry, her fear, his strength, and the way his voice calmed everything afterwards. She had actually enjoyed being in his arms as he carried her back to the village for she felt safe for the first time in a long while. How warm had she felt when he held her in her hut as she had grown chilled. Normally she would have scolded him for being so bold, but she had been too chilled and tired to care. Yet, she still remembered the beating of his heart. Okay, so maybe she did like him a little, but surely not enough as to bother her when the village women decided to show their affections. Shaking her head and dismissing her feelings as annoyance that she could not perform her duties for a day. She focused on enjoying her bath, allowing the herbal concoction invade her senses.

Raiken had long finished his work for the man who had hurt his back earlier that day. The task had involved him plowing a large field with a heavy plow under the hot sun. He would have surely died from thirst had it not been for the young women making sure he had drank plenty of water. The man wasn't even sure if he would have made it were it not for the thought of the lovely priestess that was safely tucked away in her hut. He had felt pretty sure that she would be unhappy with Nidoriko as her guard and the plans that they had laid out for the day. From what he had learned about Kaede, she was very devoted to her duties and had no wish for someone to tell her how to go about them. She had reveled being in control of her life despite being a woman, her title giving her a status that was almost as high as a nobleman. Everyone was to defer to her, count on her for her knowledge in healing. Kaede was humble despite her status, but she was not afraid to unleash her temper on those who stand in her way. That seemed to be when Raiken would admire her the most, for she could be quite attractive when her cheeks turn pink and he could almost swear that he could see flames within that good eye of hers. Then there was when she was asleep. Her mouth would form in a small pout, her hand slightly curled in a small fist, then the cute gentle murmurings in her sleep. Yes, he liked the priestess. The previous night's events had shown him that. He loved how she snuggled into his chest, murmuring his name in her sleep. Surely if he ever told her of that little detail she would fly into that famous temper of hers and deny any accounts of it. Now he looked forward to seeing her, but he had not wanted to enter her hut caked in dirt and sweat as he was, so he decided to find a stream to wash off in.

There was a spot where he could dive in and get a majority of the grime off. He kept his clothing on, save for his haori which he had long removed back when he finished his work in the field. Coming up out of the water, he flipped his hair back from his face and enjoyed the feeling of the cool air hitting his wet face. For awhile he just stood in that spot of the stream letting the current brush past him carrying the dirt away with it. A small sound had broken the small quiet around the stream and as he strained to listen over the bird noises and the small sounds the water made as it flowed past him. The sound was very reminiscent of a woman singing. Curious, Raiken decided to move up stream to find the source. As he moved, the water had become a bit shallow and came to his hips as he found the source of the sound.

Standing under the small waterfall was the young priestess that had been in his mind all day. Had he not noticed the eye patch that she kept on, he would have mistaken her as a celestial maiden sent down to tempt him with her divine beauty. The one other thing that kept him from confusing her identity was that while her singing was kind of pleasant, it was a bit off. As much as he knew of celestial maidens and goddesses, he was pretty sure that they would not sing with one note a bit higher than it should be. Raiken just stood there transfixed on what was before him. Kaede was unclothed before him even if it was with her back to him. There was also the fact that she probably had no idea that he was there, as preoccupied as she seemed. Her long black hair clung to her form giving him a good idea of how slim she was without the slightly baggy clothing she had worn. The sunlight was filtered through the trees and the spots on her body that it hit glistened. She had moved to dip her fingers into a jar to retrieve a creamy like substance in which she applied to her hair, the movement giving him a good view of her profile. When she had lifted her arms to massage the cream into her hair, he had a small view of her breasts which weren't too small or too big. While she was washing her hair, it also gave him a chance to see her back and gentle curve of her buttocks. If it weren't for her missing eye, she could have been classified as perfect. At least in his mind, she was.

"Perfect" he barely whispered.

Kaede had heard it and abruptly turned around to see what or who was intruding upon her bath. When she had discovered that it was Raiken she paused taken in his soaked form. Wet strands of dark hair fell over his face where drops of water fell to his shoulders. The droplets then formed to rivulets that slid down his naked chest where her gaze studied the planes that his muscles formed. While he did not possess the bulk as most muscular men had, his slender frame still showed a strength that she knew from experience was there. She managed to lift her gaze upwards and found that he was studying her intently with his eyes, which were almost as gray as the storm forming within her. Her stomach felt funny as if butterflies somehow appeared there and were trying to get out by fluttering with all their might. His gaze was heated and it was affecting her as well. Never mind that the water was cool, for she was only aware of how warm she suddenly felt. An eternity seemed to pass until Raiken was suddenly right in front of her in just a few strides, his right hand reaching her face to allow his thumb to caress her cheek and lips that were parted in a small yet breathy gasp. His left hand went around to her lower back as he pulled her body close to his before he dipped his head and taken her mouth in a deep kiss.

For a moment, Kaede was too stunned to react. Her guard had been down and he had completely invaded her senses along with other feelings. His kiss was hard and demanding while at the same time it was passionate and wonderful. She finally wrapped her arms around his waist pulling him closer to her as she responded to his kiss. Any kisses that she had received prior to the one they were sharing were merely friendly kisses on the cheek. None of them ever invoked the feelings that she had felt there in his arms. They were both sensitive to the touch, for they were painfully aware of how the other felt. She had felt every hardened plane of his chest, the steel like hold he had on her with his arm. He could feel her soft form pressing closer to his body, eager to receive his kiss. They both wanted fulfillment, needed it. Yet as his hand trailed from her face to her breast, Kaede's mind seemed to speak against what her heart and body wanted.

_This is not right! _The tiny voice in her head protested. Yet it felt as if it were right, her heart seemed to disagree.

_You are a priestess. It is not proper for you to be all over a man that you barely know. _Her mind tried to reason, yet her body said that even priestesses should be allowed pleasure too.

_He is a patient!_ Her heart and body both proclaimed that he was, but now he's just wonderful.

_What if Hiroshi alerts your whereabouts to Tanosuke and he arrives with a search party? What if they see the respectable Lady Kaede naked in the arms of a stranger? Would this all be wonderful then? Well, so much for your good reputation._

That thought had been sobering enough. She quickly released her hold on Raiken and yanked herself out of his arms. The priestess couldn't help the emptiness that crept within her, but her mind's reasoning had won out.

"I'm sorry, but I can't… we can't do this." She managed to speak, though she was still trying to catch her breath. Her heart beat drummed in her ears so loudly, she wondered if it could be heard throughout the forest. When her senses fully came back to her, she noticed the aching look that he had been giving her. It was as if she yanked his heart out and stomped on it. Well, not much can be done for it. She was a priestess, to be caught as she was would have caused people to be wary of her. They would wonder if they could trust her with personal complaints. It was best if they had not continued, no matter how much her body wanted to. Raiken stood there, looking at her for a few moments before sighing in defeat.

"Fine, then we will not speak of this. I will leave you alone in peace. Forgive me for my boldness, Lady Priestess."

Despite that he had not spoken in malice, the last sentence had stung. She had finally admitted to herself that she liked it when he called her by her name. It was apparent that she had hurt him with her rejection, but her duties had to take priority in her life. But still…

"Rai…" she began, but he held up a hand to cut off whatever she had to say.

"Don't worry, I understand. It's just that it hurts to be around you like this and not… Never mind, I'll just be on my way, my lady." He stated before walking away. Kaede couldn't help but feel as if a part of her had just been ripped away from her. Eventually she managed to hobble over to her clothing and dressed before someone came for her. As she had thought, Tanosuke and two village men had came to retrieve her. Tanosuke had given her a questioning look before she realized that her lips and around were red and swollen from the kiss. Giving him a look of indignation in return she hobbled on her crutch with the three men following her. Let him come up with his own conclusions, she thought before they made their way back to her village. When she finally reached her hut, Nidoriko was there. She knew that Nidoriko suspected something, but she did not care. She sat down on her futon and picked up the cup she had drunk from earlier.

"Nidoriko, the bath was exactly what I needed. Now may I have more of that delicious tea?"

Note: Umm… There you go my first lime scene ever. I'm not sure if there will be more like this in the fic. I had been pretty shy writing this one, but oh well. I hope that this hasn't been too bad. I mean it's my first time writing this kind of stuff, so give me a break. The ending may be a bit lame, but as you could tell, I was kind of in a hurry to get it over with. Just kindly let me know some things I could fix and I will be happy to go back and fix it once I get a chance. The point of this fanfic was to portray a least written about character in a way that no one has ever seen her before. I hope that I am doing a great job of it.

These first few chapters will contain her and Raiken, but I plan on doing various things. I mean she does have her entire life ahead of her so this may be a long fic. I'm hoping that it will get better as I go. For the record, no matter how insecure I feel about this fic, I really like it. I just ask the readers to be polite in their reviews. I'm a sensitive person, so be nice please. Thanks for reading this and I thank those who read the previous chapters and left their reviews. Jul-chan


	6. Chapter Six: Make Love, Not Rifts

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, sadly. Read the previous chapters and you'll find that I disclaim the characters as well. I only own Raiken and the rest of the village. The rest are Rumiko Takahashi's idea. Don't sue, I don't have anything anyway. My landlord takes all my money…sue him :p

Quick note: I thought I should thank the wonderful readers who reviewed the last chapters of this fic. Here I was thinking I was unloved, but you brought the spark back into my typing fingers and I never seemed to stop. This chapter is for you. Thanks again, Jul-chan

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Six: Make Love, Not Rifts

Raiken had been avoiding her. It had seemed to have taken Kaede fifteen days to come to this conclusion. Even long after he had moved out her hut two days afterward, having quickly built his own home. Deep down she had always known he had been avoiding her but she was denying the fact. Sure she could think logically and try to see this as a good thing. A man was the last distraction she needed to perform her duties as she pledged she would. Her mind had already been muddled enough when she first saw his startling gray eyes the first day he appeared in her hut, her life. He had not spoken to her since that day at the stream, which bothered her more than she was willing to admit. Nidoriko had noticed that her friend had been awfully moody lately. While Kaede was famous for her ire, she never flew off the handle whenever someone said something to her. Every comment had irritated the priestess, and she never seemed to be pleased with anything. She had managed to be civil towards the villagers that sought her help in curing their ills and wishing exorcisms. It was poor Tanosuke who would get quite the tongue lashing whenever he came up with a report on what their new resident was up to. Tano seemed to have it in for Raiken, and really did not like the idea that he had established a place amongst their village. When he first addressed his complaints to Kaede, he had been tossed out upon his ear.

"Lady Kaede, I do not believe he should be staying in the village. I would not trust him as far as I could throw this island." He informed her, Kaede whipped around glaring daggers at the head guardsman he backed away with hands raised defensively, "I just think that you should inform him that he can't just stake claim on any part of this village and stay." Kaede turned her back on Tanosuke, releasing what sounded like a growl.

"If it bothers you so much, Tanosuke, then you order him to leave. You are captain of the guard, are you not? You certainly don't need my approval to throw him out." Her tone was just a little too snippy when the subject was on Raiken.

"I already tried. He says that he would leave only if you were to order it so." The man's voice sounded petulant. Kaede sighed and shook her head.

"I really don't see anything wrong with him staying here. As long as he keeps out of trouble and is helping the villagers, I really can care less what he does."

After Tanosuke tried to argue the issue, Kaede threw a jar that was designated for one of her herbal remedies at him. Nidoriko had tried to put her finger on what could possibly be bothering her friend. That did not mean that the blind widow did not have her suspicions. She thought that she had already known the cause of her friend's moodiness and knew that she would have to draw her out to admit it. She had figured that Raiken was the reason that the priestess would fly into one of her tempers whenever someone mentioned his name… even when the young village women would sigh and call him "Sir Raiken." Kaede was drawn to the gray eyed stranger and it seemed that since he left the hut, she was having trouble coping with the fact he was not around anymore. She knew that the young priestess was denying the fact to herself simply because she does not believe her needs or wants matter. Dedicating most of her life to being the village priestess, she had not left any room for her own wants, or needs. When she had finally made it this far without any complaints, something she wanted very much was right in front of her and she was being denied, even by herself. Nidoriko thought it high time that she and Kaede had a woman to woman talk. The girl needed to learn to follow her heart, even when her mind tells her not to. And she was going to, whether she wanted it or not.

Kaede had just finished with creating herbal salves and mixtures before putting nice little labels on each jar. She was setting each jar harshly on the shelves after overhearing a young village maid boast about having 'Sir Raiken' repair her father's hut. Nidoriko could not help but smile at her friend's constant crankiness. It had meant that she was very jealous of the village girls and their interaction with Raiken. That piece of information was very encouraging and meant that Nidoriko was very close to figuring out her friend's heart.

"Careful, Kaede, you really don't need to break another jar. The last one was wasted when you hit Tanosuke."

"What do you want Nidori?" Kaede responded with a slight snap in her voice. Nidoriko knew that if her eyes had worked, she would have seen her face contorted in irritation. She heard shuffling, meaning Kaede was limping with her ankle. It was finally where she could walk on it for a bit even if it seemed painful for her to do so. It had healed a lot thanks to her magic with herbs and soothing sutras, but Nidori could already tell that it still had a ways to go before she could ever walk properly. She also knew that with Kaede's determination, it would eventually get better.

"When are you going to speak with that young man?" Nidoriko decided it was best to get straight to the point. When Kaede was this irritable, she was just so much fun to pick on. The distraction was too great of a threat. Even now, she could feel the death glare the young priestess was casting her way.

"I will when I have something to say to him." she bit out before returning to her tasks. Nidoriko found a nearby wall and sat down against it. She had been feeling tired as of late, all this worrying about Kaede had been getting to her.

"I'm sure that you have something that you want to say. Something had happened between the two of you, and it's separating you from each other. Don't tell me that there is not anything you would like to say to him."

Kaede stopped whatever she was doing, Nidoriko could tell by the sound of silence after that. She was thinking, the older woman surmised.

"Maybe there is something I want to say." Kaede replied softly. She put down all her herbal implements and sighed. "In truth there are a lot of things I want to say, but there seems to be things he doesn't want to say to me. Perhaps it's for the best. After all, the last thing I need is distraction.

"There are a lot of villagers who are depending on me. If I go around worrying what a storm eyed rogue is up to, what good would I be to them. Kikyo would not want me to abandon them."

"Kaede, Kikyo would want you happy. She would not want you to feel trapped into following her footsteps." She felt Kaede sit down beside her and heard a sigh. "It's true you know. She was always spoiling you when you were a child. When everyone remarked on it, she would always say 'I want my sister to want for nothing to be happy no matter what she's doing.' If you don't do what you want, then your sister had worked for naught. Is that what you want?"

Kaede seemed to think on that for awhile, for she had not said anything. If Nidoriko was as skilled in archery as she was, she would have been a very formidable enemy, for she had hit the right mark to get Kaede to actually believe she was right.

"Even so, there are the villagers. You were not there when she died and missed out on their wailing. When I had decided to take over, they were happy to have someone take control of the situation. I would take that away from them."

"Tough for them, then."

Kaede was shocked at how casually that statement escaped her friend's lips. "What did you just say?"

"If they believe that they would have to completely rely on you, then this village is truly lost. What if something happened to you? Who could they depend on now? The best thing you could do for them is teach them everything you know about herbs and then leave them to their on cares.

"Of course I'm not saying to abandon them completely, but they really don't need to be so dependent on you, Kaede. It's time for you to do what it is you want for you." Kaede seem to resist the thought, but Nidoriko knew that her desires were winning her over. After all, Kaede was only human and had no choice but to feel the things she felt.

"I have to protect the village. I must look to preserve their needs." She whispered, more to herself than anyone.

"But what do 'you' want, Kaede? What do 'you' need?" Nidoriko implored. She was tired of seeing Kaede moping around, and she knew that whatever rift lay between the priestess and Raiken, it could only be resolved by Kaede. Kikyo would not forgive her for not overseeing the younger sister's happiness. Kaede had told her that Kikyo longed to be a normal woman, wished to be free from obligation, from duty. Nidoriko knew that Kikyo would wish the same for Kaede.

"Kaede, do you really want to go through life longing for the things that lie before you, but deny even the thought of them? The villagers would even agree that you have not been the most pleasant person to be around lately, they would beg you to talk to Raiken to set things right."

Kaede was silent, having some form of inner war with herself. Nidoriko sighed, for she could tell that this was going to be a long talk.

Kaede shuffled along the path, getting some fresh air and thinking over her conversation with Nidoriko. She could not bring herself to agree with her reasoning, dismissing it as an old blind lady trying to meddle in other's lives. Raiken was a distraction that she cannot afford to have at the moment. Despite what Nidoriko said about Kikyo wanting her to live a normal life, Kaede could not help but feel that she would bring shame upon her sister if she made the same mistake Kikyo had. When mentioning this to Nidoriko, the woman laughed.

"I can understand your fear there, but there is no more Shikon no Tama. Raiken is not trying to trick you to hand some sort of power over to him. The only thing he would want you to yield is your heart and body. He's being a man in keeping his distance from you as you continuously reject him.

"I know you, Kaede. You have rejected him and remain so because you have not tried to remedy the situation. Either give into that which makes you a woman, or ask him to leave. I'm tired of moping people and I am receiving a terrible headache from worrying about it."

Kaede continued forward replaying the conversation in her head. What did she want? She remembered how Kikyo would wait until she was asleep and would try on lipstick while admiring herself in the mirror. Kaede used to pretend to be asleep then, but whenever she saw the sad smile on Kikyo's face, she wished she was really asleep so that she never would have to remember the sadness in her sister's eyes. Kikyo denied her hopes and dreams for the villagers. If 'he' had not came along, then she would probably still be there allowing Kaede to be free to do as she desired.

She had almost given up on such thoughts, but when she looked up her body froze and her breath hitched. Raiken had just jumped down from the roof of the hut he had been living in the past few days. Sweat dripped down his body and where the sun had shined, it glistened, highlighting different planes of his well toned muscles on his lean frame. His hair was plastered to his face, he brushed it off his cheek after dropping his tools that was used to repair the roof. Most women would have been repulsed by seeing a man so, but it stirred something within Kaede. A familiar heat that she had felt that day at the stream traveled back to her stomach and she was feeling light headed. Gods help her, she was getting all rattled again, she even forgot who she was. Raiken looked up and saw her standing there, mesmerized by him. His stormy eyes were intense as he stared at her. That invisible force that possessed her the day she buried her sister was possessing her to walk towards him. As she complied with her body, she could not help but wonder what it would be to finally do what she wanted. How it would be so easy… When she found herself wrapping her arms around him in an embrace, she realized that it was easy and that it was what she wanted. In his arms it felt so right. She looked up and allowed her lips to touch his, which responded very eagerly in return. When their lips finally parted his gray eyes stared into hers once more.

"Does this mean that Lady Kaede knows what she wants?" he asked as he stared intently into her face. She made a trail down his chest with her finger, making his breath hitch as well.

"I am sure that this is what Lady Kaede wants. I'm sure that you are what she needs." she whispered in reply. He kissed her before taking her hand and leading her inside his hut. That day, she learned that it was far more easier to give in to what her instincts wanted her to do. She also learned that it made life a little bit simpler, and she was glad that she did. At that moment as he laid her down upon his pallet, she was glad that she had finally given in.

She was beautiful, the thought that rang through Raiken's head as he watched her as she slept. He wondered what would cause her to doubt her beauty so. Earlier he had tried to remove the white material that covered her right eye, but she turned away from him as he did so. Puzzled he asked her why.

"Because it's ugly." she whispered. His hand caressed her cheek before moving it the string that held the patch over her eye. The move was so sudden, she was unable to do anything about it. The orange glow of the sunlight glinted off the marred skin, highlighting each tiny scar. There were tiny white lines branching out from a larger scar which was light pink and slightly puckered. It was not as bad as she made it out to be. He kissed her eye lid, where the large scar was, and kissed each tiny scar all the way to her lips.

"Beautiful…" his voice trailed off as she captured his lips again. A tear, he had noticed, made it's way from her good eye. He pulled his lips from hers and stroked her hair.

"What makes it so ugly is how you might have lost it. The fact that the world we live in is never safe is an ugly truth. Yet, you survived and are making the best of this ugly, unholy world. It's your strength that makes you the most beautiful woman in my eyes."

He had managed to cease all of her tears that evening. Now she lie in his arms, sleeping in more peace than she ever slept before. A small smile playing on her lips now and he could not help but smirk in the knowledge of what put it there. He ran his fingers through her hair. His hair was melded with hers with no way of telling whose belonged to who except for the silver streak in his own black tresses. A hand reached up to caress his face and he found one brown eye looking into his grey ones. She had a dreamy and dazed look in her eyes as if she was waking from a good dream. He knew the roots of those dreams as well. Her hand slid to where the silver locks were located and she traced along the silvery path.

"How unusual…" she muttered, more to herself. He knew she was still half asleep and that she was not completely aware of him just yet. He smiled at how cute she looked all bleary eyed with mussed hair, and incredibly sexy too. It was impossible to resist the urge to take her lips and hold them captive with his own. She had been caught off guard by the action but quickly responded in kind her awareness not the only thing awakening. Desires that had long been sated rose again just from the soft touch of his lips with hers. He released his hold on her and smiled at the darkening look in her eyes, a sign that he managed to succeed in waking her up fully.

"I learned the secret behind your eye patch, I suppose it's fair you learned the story behind this." he said mentioning the streak in his hair.

"A long time ago when I was younger, my home was attacked by armed men, samurai. I had tried to warn my friends and family because I was the first to see them ride towards our village. One of the men caught me and I cried out. He pushed me roughly to the ground where I cracked my head on a rock.

"Everything went dark after that, but when I came to, my family stood over me, worried I would not have come through. They removed a lot of my hair to tend the wound, so I had a bald spot with a very bad wound, but as the scar healed my hair grew back. The end result though was that it grew out silver " He smiled as her fingers wound their way into his hair, feeling around for the scars on his scalp. She slightly rubbed the raised areas, sending shivers down his spine. Her touch never failed to affect him so as if she had magic in her finger tips.

"You always seem to get yourself into some kind of trouble don't you?" she inquired as she tugged on the silvery strands. He chuckled and stretched out over her, grabbing her hands and holding them down beside her head.

"I sure do, and it seems that I've gotten myself into even deeper trouble this time. Of course I do have one thing in my favor." He said in a as a matter of fact tone.

"And that is?" she inquired, quirking her left eye brow up as he leaned down to kiss her.

"I'm not alone." He whispered huskily before claiming her lips with his. Kaede seemed to enjoy being in trouble with him for the rest of that very evening.

Note: I know, another crappy close to this chapter. Yet they finally made up and out and…well let's not get into the details here. The important thing is that Kaede got over her fears and built a bridge over that rift between her and Raiken. Yeah, anyway next chapter should lift away that shroud of mystery over lover boy and more big changes are in store for our favorite priestess. I was thinking of leaving a huge cliff hanger here, but I thought that this chapter was long enough. It's time get on with Kaede's life. I thank you readers for taking the time to read this.

I don't like to beg, but please please leave a review… At this point I don't care if it hurts my feelings, I just want to know if it's being read. I do still ask that you be polite… Keep the language clean because kiddies may be reading this. Thank you!

Jul-chan


	7. Chapter Seven: Fever and a Promise

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, sadly. Read the previous chapters and you'll find that I disclaim the characters as well. I only own Raiken and the rest of the village. The rest are Rumiko Takahashi's idea. Don't sue, I don't have anything anyway. My landlord takes all my money…sue him along with my internet service provider :p

Note: Yes, it's about time for those two to get back together. I would like to thank those who reviewed or at least read my previous chapters. Between work and then house cleaning it's hard to keep my focus on the fic. Knowing that someone at least reads a chapter or two keeps me at it though. I'll give a cookie to the next five reviewers (if I get that many that is). Thanks so much Jul-chan

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale Chapter Seven: Fever and a Promise

It was a beautiful morning with the sun shining in resplendent glory along other cliché's describing such beauteous mornings. On some days the priestess, Lady Kaede would appreciate such beauty. The summer air was not as merciless as it had been in prior years. The summer blossoms were all out with their colorful petals and their aromas were the ambrosial balm to the nose. She would normally appreciate the fact that no one had any ailments, possessions, or counseling. It was very unfortunate that Kaede was unable to appreciate the beauty around her that day. When she had woken up that morning, her throat and mouth were dry, but she wasn't worried about it. It had been dry with the past few days because of the summer air and no rain. It was when she stood up from bed, her temples throbbed and the world began to spin that she was a little concerned. Stumbling, she moved towards a wall to hang onto until it seemed the world was stationary once again. Slowly letting go of the wall to make sure she didn't have another spell, she briefly wondered at it. Assured she was not going to meet the ground anytime soon, she looked around the hut and noticed Raiken had long risen before she had. It had been weeks since she had taken the initiative and had given in to the torrent of feelings she felt for Raiken. Ever since then she had been staying in his hut, only stepping foot in her own to replenish her supplies of herbal remedies and spiritual implements. Trying to come up with a reason on why she was feeling so strange, she concluded that it was because she had been up all night after tending a sick child. Kaede had rarely been ill, the only time was when she was very young after her parents had died. Dismissing the thought she had gotten dressed to greet the day despite feeling a little foggy.

Thinking a dip in her favorite spot would clear her head, she walked to the stream where she always bathed and refreshed herself. Yet each step she had taken had her thinking her feet were laden with stone. A drops of sweat beaded on her brow as movement became a struggle. It seemed the world wanted to take her for a spin as another flash of dizziness had hit her. She just needed to make it to the stream. The heat was becoming unbearable, despite it being cooler than normal. Feeling as if she was to fall at any moment, she reached out for a tree to lean against. She should have stayed in bed, she thought sullenly. Everything around her seemed to go still. Carefully she let go of the one thing she was sure that was steady and began to take tentative steps away from it. Sure that she could make it without everything turning upside down on her, she tried to continue her trek to the stream. It did not last long for suddenly a sharp pain shot through her stomach and a wave of nausea washed over her. Suddenly the forest ahead blurred before her and she collapsed, her temples throbbed painfully from whatever affliction that had assailed her all of a sudden. She stretched her hand out to try and catch a hold of a nearby tree or anything sturdy to pull herself up, yet there was nothing but air. 

I should have stayed in bed. Was her final thought as the world seemed to welcome her in enveloping darkness. 

The sensation of movement had stirred her. She felt strong arms carrying her in the opposite direction from where she was originally heading, curious at the identity of the one carrying she looked up and a weak smile managed to light on her lips.

"Kaede, I would really appreciate it if I could take a walk without finding you in some kind of trouble." Raiken stated in his attempt to bring humor in the situation, but Kaede's heart melted at worry that shown in his eyes. She knew that her fever was high enough to worry him and the urgency in his steps shown he wanted to get her some help immediately.

"Sorry, Rai. I'll be sure to let you know first." she whispered hoarsely. A small cough followed afterwards and she felt his hold on her tighten a bit.

"Shh… Don't waste another breath, why don't you go back to sleep and I'll make sure that you get back to the village." He whispered softly, a soft command her body was willing to obey. She was not aware of when they reached the village, nor was she aware of the many worried stares and questions the villagers directed towards Raiken as he carried her to her hut where Nidoriko and another village woman took over in her care. Kaede had not been aware of the soft words of encouragement Raiken whispered to her in order for her to get better. She had not been aware that he said the most important words that a man could ever say to a woman, for sleep was the only bliss she had found when she had been in his arms.

Nidoriko reapplied a cool wet cloth to the young priestess' forehead and sighed when the fever had not cooled down significantly enough for her assurance in her friend's health. Raiken entered the hut quietly as not to disturb their beloved priestess as she slept through whatever ailed her. While he had tried so hard to be strong throughout all the activity of finding the same herbal remedies the priestess had used for sick villagers and the constant battle of bringing her fever down, his gray eyes clearly conveyed all the worry he was feeling now. 

"How is she doing?" He asked as he kneeled beside her and taking her hand that, despite her fever, was ice cold. 

"Her fever had went down some, but not low enough for us to leave her be." Nidoriko bit her lip as she remembered when she had been bed ridden like this years ago. Shaking her head as if trying to rid herself of the thought of her friend meeting the same fate or worse. She looked towards the handsome young man that Kaede had grown so fond of. He looked a little worse for wear, his hair disheveled from him running a hand through it in worry, his slightly tanned face was pale as he did naught but worry over Kaede's health.  
"Do you know what's wrong with her?" he asked tentatively, not really wanting to hear anything that would shatter his hope that she would get well.

"Other than obvious sign of fever and a small cough, I really have no idea on what ails her. Kaede has been exposed to various illnesses and afflictions and has never came down with one herself. This is a first for me and I do not know what else to do. I can only think that this is a result of working nonstop with no rest."

"So she's never been sick before?" he asked, both incredulous and afraid. From his experience with robust and healthy people, most do not survive their first major illness. Seeing the worry on his face, Nidoriko smiled and patted his hand comfortingly.

"She's strong, I believe she'll survive. Kaede loves life too much to let it slip away from her fingers. Thanks to you, she has more of a reason to live." She allowed a small smile to appear on her lips as if she had a small secret. 

Raiken raised an eyebrow, losing some of his worry. The silent question hung in the air of what she meant. Nidoriko just smiled before a shadow of worry revealed itself in her sightless eyes. Hiroshi appeared in the doorway as if he knew she was about to leave. He assisted the beautiful widow from the hut. She turned and with all seriousness in her voice, stated once before leaving.

"Take care of her, Raiken, for she is all that we have. No matter what she chooses to do, we will love her always as long as she is well and happy. Just make sure her heart stays intact throughout the journey you two are sure to embark on." She allowed Hiroshi to lead her away with Raiken watching her leave, puzzled at her words.

Kaede… She was blindly trying to find her way out the tangled shrubbery around her. Tangled vines grasped at her bare ankles and snatched at her pale yukata Her hands were bleeding from fighting against thorns that scratched her pale skin leaving scarlet ribbons. Brambles stuck to her hair that had been matted in her struggle to seek the source of the voice beckoning her. 

Kaede…the voice sounded warm and comforting. Kaede wanted that comfort that the voice hinted at. Yet it seemed to move farther and farther away as the thorny vines hindered her progress. It seemed that as soon as she would almost clear the path, a wall of briars would suddenly form in front of her. Just as she was close to the source, a thick wall covered with the thorns blocked her from her goal. She suddenly started to pound on it, ignoring the sharp needles of pain every time her hand came in contact with the needle like thorns. 

Kaede… come.

"I'm so close, let me in!" She cried as she pounded harder on the wall. The voice was a woman's voice that seemed to offer everything her heart had longed for since she was a young girl. She couldn't put her finger on what it was about the female voice that made her long to break down the walls to reach it.

"Please let me through. I have to get on the other side." she pleaded. When it appeared as if no one heard her request, she ran along the side of the wall in hope to find a way through. As she ran, her bare feet stepped on some thorns and the shock caused her to fall. A tear streamed from her good eye as the voice called as it sounded even further away. The salty tear stung slightly as it hit the scratches on her face as she cried out her despair. A hand touched her shoulder gently and it sent warmth and feelings of kindness through the young priestess. She never felt such things, even when Raiken first embraced her. The being bent down and Kaede felt the breath warm upon her ear as they whispered.

"You are needed elsewhere, Kaede." The voice was disembodied, but it sounded strangely like a female's voice. The same one that beckoned her. She wanted to cry out that she traveled so far to get there, but the words could not leave her as she pictured the villagers and Raiken. She tried to see who it was that spoke to her only to be swept away by darkness.

She had awoken to a blinding light. It had been the sunlight streaming through the window of her home which shined directly in her face. Raising a hand, she placed it over her good eye and tried to peer through the visible dust motes to see if anyone was in her hut. The action proved to be a tiring one, for it had worn her down quickly. Yet she could not go back to sleep with that light hitting her face. Allowing her hand to slide away, too tired to hold it, she groaned in mild irritation and took notice of how dry her throat was. Apparently the small sound reached another occupant in the small hut and she heard frantic shuffling as they tried to reach her. The light was immediately blocked by a head covered with long dark locks with a silvery streak and gray eyes stared down at her with a mixture of relief and worry. She couldn't help but smile at how adorable Raiken looked with his hair slightly mussed, but she did worry about his pallor for it was very pale. 

"Thank the gods, you are finally awake." He said gazing down into her face. Leaning down, he touched his lips to her forehead then smiled in relief as his gaze found hers once more. "Your fever had finally broken as well. You gave us such a scare, my beauty. Please refrain from doing it again." 

She wanted nothing more than to smack him for making such a silly command, but she was too tired to even summon a glare in his direction. He had gently taken her arm and placed it by her side when it was apparent she could barely lift it and smoothed the covers over her. 

"How do you feel? Do you need anything?" he asked while stroking her hair. 

"I'll feel better if this light was not shining in my face." she said, her voice in a dry croak, "Some water as well. Feels like I ate sand."

Raiken chuckled as he untied the cloth in the window so it would block the sunlight, then he poured her some water in a cup. He sat behind her head to prop it up while holding the cup to her lips. After she drank down all its contents, he leaned down and pressed a kiss where the cup once rested on her lips.

"How long have I been asleep?" She asked, her voice a little more clearer now that she was hydrated.

"Almost two days. You had a frighteningly high fever. Nidoriko and I feared that we were going to lose you." He answered, slightly tightening his hold on her. "Thank the gods you recovered quickly. Again, please don't scare me like that again. I don't know how I would go on if you left me."

While he fought them back, his eyes began to water slightly with unshed tears. It tore at her heart to watch him struggle to not cry, but she said nothing of it so it wouldn't dent his pride. 

"I will try my best not to, Rai. It's all I can promise." she said, summoning a weak smile. He smiled, rubbing the bridge of her nose, the action causing her to close her eye and almost putting her to sleep.

"Then that's all I will ask." He whispered as he continued to rub her nose and he hummed slightly, his deep voice soothing enough to cause her to drift back to sleep. Hiroshi had almost entered the hut, but quickly backed out as he noticed the scene. Raiken didn't seem to notice, so Hiroshi decided to wait and relay Tanosuke's message. He decided he would visit Nidoriko, but couldn't help but smile as he remembered the scene with the village priestess' head cradled in Raiken's lap as he hummed her a lullaby of sorts. With that replaying over and over in his mind his steps quickened. Nidoriko did love tales of romance.

Tanosuke stared down the leader of a small group of warriors that appeared outside the village. They had demanded that they speak to Raiken, which did not help with his feelings about the man. He stated that Raiken normally assisted the villagers with their tasks and that it would probably awhile before he could be reached. He suggested having Raiken meet with them later that day or at least the next day. There was no way he was allowing a strange group within the village without the priestess' approval, and she was currently unavailable. They carried a flag with a weird symbol that he never recognized before and they had this air about them that was disconcerting, while not dangerous the captain really did not want to take any chances… Eventually he managed to talk the group into waiting until at least the next day for Raiken. In return the group was welcome to camp outside the village and have food brought out to them. After making sure preparations were made, Tanosuke made sure the defenses were secure. He had a strong feeling that there were about to be some major changes, and he was not sure if they were good or bad. It was better to be prepared, just in case.

Note: There, finally I updated. More fluff between the lovely couple and some changes that are coming up. The story will finally be moving past the pairing and getting more to the point. There is some symbolism in Kaede's dream, but that will be revealed in later chapters. I plan on peppering this with tons of symbolism. I seem to be getting better at this with every chapter I write. I also plan on dedicating an entire chapter to Nidoriko. Her past is so interesting and so tragic, I felt it should be shared, but again that will be later chapters. 

I am so determined to finish this fic, and I'm glad this chapter was posted before New Years. I want to thank you for reading and reviewing this. It makes me so happy that I get at least two reviews per chapter. I would love it if I have more, but it is a little hard seeing that there are tons of Inuyasha fanfics being submitted all at once. Can't have it all I suppose. As I said, the next five reviewers get a cookie. Brownies to those who reviewed already. I'm a crazy brownie addict and I tend to push, so look out! Anyway I am currently half way done with next chapter. Hopefully I'll have it up soon. Merry late Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. Thank you again! Jul-chan 


	8. Chapter Eight: Visitors and Secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, sadly. Read the previous chapters and you'll find that I disclaim the characters as well. I only own Raiken and the rest of the village. The rest are Rumiko Takahashi's idea. Don't sue, I don't have anything anyway. My landlord takes all my money…sue him along with my internet service provider :p 

Notes: Thank you to the one person who reviewed the last chapter. You most certainly get a cookie. And thanks for placing me on your recommends spot. It's an honor. I'm totally in love with Raiken too. But what can we do? Anyway on with the story. Thanks.

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Eight: Visitors and Secrets to be Revealed

Kaede felt considerably better the next day. Other than the queasiness in her stomach, she was well recovered. All her hard work and determination had caught up with her and left her body exhausted. Nidoriko surmised that it was probably its way of letting her know that she needed to settle down and quit being so focused. The priestess thought back on when she had met Raiken and all the work she had done to avoid her feelings for the gray eyed man. The recent memory of her feeling so weak and powerless had hardened her resolve to make sure she did not recklessly endanger her health like that again. She still felt a little weak, but she stood on her own and she moved around freely. Whenever someone tried to object, she would shoot a glare in their direction. Raiken was the only one who did not seem intimidated. He still insisted that she have an escort for wherever she wanted to go, and he happily volunteered.

Their first destination was the shrine where she wanted to offer up prayers to the gods so they may bless her village for being so kind. Raiken happily waited for her outside while she kneeled before the small alter inside. After she had finished, she found Hiroshi speaking with Raiken.

"There are some men outside the village looking for someone with dark hair, gray eyes, and was possibly injured. Tanosuke said that it described you and wishes for your presence. Your people perhaps?"

Raiken took all this information in and Kaede swore that she had seen a spark of hope light up in his eyes. He nodded at Hiroshi then glanced towards where Tanosuke may be waiting.

"Inform Tanosuke that I should be there shortly."

They bowed towards each other before Hiroshi went off to deliver Raiken's message. Kaede placed a hand on his shoulder. He smiled down at her before taking her hand and leading her away.

"What will you do if they are here for you? Will you leave with them?" And leave me behind? She thought. Raiken just shrugged, as if he were not aware of the small fear gripping her heart. As if he was trying to be indifferent to the tempest of emotion that was welling within her. "I do not know, Kaede. I suppose we will see once we meet whoever it is looking for me."

She nodded, but more questions pricked at her mind. As if he sensed her troubling thoughts, he lightly squeezed her hand to offer some form of assurance. The small action instantly quelling any comment from leaving her mouth. They shared companionable silence on their way to meet with Tanosuke. Upon meeting the guard, Tanosuke explained what was discussed with the group. Kaede noticed that one of the men, the leader no doubt, was waiting for Raiken to acknowledge him. After speaking with Tanosuke, Raiken noticed him and a smile of recognition appeared.

"Azuma." Raiken greeted as he released Kaede's hand and met with the warrior before them. He wore full samurai armor, but helmet had been removed. He held a banner with an odd symbol with a weird knot intertwining with itself intricately. The two man greeted one another warmly with warm slaps on the back. Azuma looked Raiken up and down, his warm brown eyes relieved to see him so well. He stepped away from Raiken and bowed reverently before speaking.

"I am glad that we have found you alive and well, my prince."

His statement received an response of collective gasps. Kaede stood in shock as she watched Raiken rub the back of his head, a slight flush spreading across his cheeks in apparent embarrassment. It was an action that Kaede would find absolutely adorable had this been another situation, yet she was not sure what to think.

"We have never thought we would find you otherwise. Though I will admit that we did have some doubts. None the less, we never gave up in our search. Only if we found your body, we would give up." Azuma stated. Raiken patted Azuma's shoulder comfortingly.

"I am glad for your concern and you have my gratitude. Yes, it was touch and go there for a moment and you probably would have found me dead if it wasn't for the people of this village." He turned to Kaede and smiled while gesturing towards her. "Their priestess, Kaede, had treated my wounds and made sure I would not succumb to infection. It was for her diligence that I stand here today."

Azuma moved towards Kaede and bowed low before her expressing his gratitude.

"You have done us a great service, my lady, in caring for our prince. We owe you our lives for all you have done. I, on the behalf of our village, swear a life debt to you." When he looked up and noticed her puzzlement he quickly explained, "It means that whatever you wish and as many times you wish it, we will go through all kinds of terrain to do your bidding."

Shocked at such an offer, Kaede remained speechless. First she found out that the love of her life was a prince, now she has someone making such an oath.  
"I am very flattered to receive such an offer, but I'm afraid that I must refu…"

"To refuse his offer, Kaede, would mean that he must kill himself for supplication." Raiken interrupted quickly, preventing his friend from such a state. Kaede took note of the pained look in Azuma's eyes. He looked to be Hiroshi's age, but it was hard to believe they would have someone that young commanding a small group.

"I will accept this humble offer you make then, though I still believe its not necessary. It is my duty to help those in need, and with the condition that your…prince was in, he was certainly in need. Thank you." she bowed, but Azuma waved off her action while insisting that it wasn't necessary. After speaking with Azuma, Kaede determined that he and his group meant no ill-will towards her village and had invited them all to rest and replenish their supplies for awhile. Eternally grateful for her past generosity towards their prince, Azuma could not refuse her offer. Raiken volunteered to greet his men and assist them, leaving the priestess to go back to her hut and sort through her scattered thoughts.

A tear threatened to spill from her eye as she thought of Raiken leaving her. At first she wondered if he would decide to stay, but finding out his status she was not so sure. Of course he would decide to leave and go back to his village. He had no other choice, he was a prince of all things. It meant he had many obligations and duties. Now how could he desert all that tied him to his title in order to stay and consort with some priestess? He was most likely betrothed to marry some little princess tucked away in some far off village, so marrying her was out of the question. She refused to be his concubine, a status that was very loathsome to the priestess. The more she thought of their upcoming separation, the angrier she became. How dare he love her and then decide to leave her upon the first opportunity? She slumped down against the wall and pulled her knees up to tuck them under her chin. Why did love have to be so complicated? She wondered at the past few weeks. Giving in to the sorrow that weighed on her shoulders, she allowed the tears fall so heavily that she thought they fell from her missing eye as well. Eventually she dozed off, too exhausted to dream.

Raiken's entrance into her hut had quickly roused her from her short nap. Groggy from sleep, she had momentarily forgotten about the past few moments until she was fully awake. Raiken bent to feel her forehead for a fever, concern written on his face.

"Are you feeling alright? I should not have kept you out so long. I mean you practically were an invalid yesterday. We should not have expected so much of your recovery." He went to assist her from her position on the floor but she angrily pushed his hands away while glaring at him. Quickly taken back by her actions, he wore a hurt but puzzled expression. It almost tore at her heart strings to see him so, but she was the one getting hurt here.

"Kaede?" He whispered in question.

"You plan on returning with your men." It was not a question. He stared at her before lowering his gaze to the floor. "Yes."

"When?" She demanded.

"Within two days. They need time to replenish their supplies and I have previous obligations to some of the villagers here to meet. We will set out at dawn the day afterwards."

A tear threatened to fall once again, but she quickly willed it not to. She refused to cry in front him. She had cried enough tears for this one man to create a new sea. He started to speak, but her angry glare halted any words that were forthcoming. Raiken was really leaving her. He was honestly going to leave her behind. Apparently she thought that part out loud and he had this look of shock on his face. She continued glaring at him. What was his problem?

"You honestly believe that, Kaede?" He asked incredulously. She looked up at him, stunned.

"Well, is it like you have a choice? You are a prince which means obligations and duties you must attend to. You can't stay here and play house with some priestess." She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You had lied to me about who you were. If I had known I would never have…" Realization dawned on her about the past few weeks of soft caresses, and whispered pleas in the dark. She buried her head into her knees in shame.

"I had acted like a complete… Oh gods, what everyone must think of me now. I feel like I'm some cast-off whore, and I'm not even getting paid for it."

If it had not been a heartbreaking scene to see the proud village priestess reduced to such, he could have shaken her for saying such an idiotic thing. Yet here she was feeling as if he was abandoning her.

"Kaede, you are not some cast-off…never mind. You have a great sense of morals, besides, the entire village was practically pushing us together. I value what we share and we both share something precious, Kaede. Not many people have it."

He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms. She was too weary to fight the action and pressed her face into his chest. He combed his fingers into her hair while she listened to the strong and steady beats of his heart.

"Never think lowly of yourself, for I cherish you above all things. I deeply care for you. I would not callously toss you aside. Kaede, I would never leave you behind."

At this, she lifted her face up to meet his silver gaze. He kissed her forehead lightly.

"You wouldn't?" She replied, wanting confirmation she had heard right.  
"I would never leave you. I want you to come with me."

Notes: Okay, my second cliff hanger in this story, but I'm already part way done with the next chapter. There are too many iffy sections of this one that I want to change, but will leave as is for the moment. I swear that this was a hard chapter to write. When I first tried to write this out, I had this major plan but it went a totally different direction. I think the only part that came out the way I wanted it was Kaede's emotional breakdown. I mean our beloved Rai is actually a prince and apparently has lied about several other things. What other secrets is our dear priestess to uncover? Talk about sleeping with strangers. As depressing as this one chapter seems, I think one aspect of her break down was slightly humorous. That's just me I suppose.

Anyway, two or three more chapters exclusively on the lovers then on to other aspects of Kaede's life. I mean she has about forty or so more years left doesn't she? Anyway this was more or less a pacifier to my faithful readers out there. Sorry if this chapter sucks, but I'm actually slightly pleased with it. (It would not even be here if I wasn't) Thank you so much for reading this, and please review. It doesn't take much. I even still have cookies. Thanks! Jul-chan


	9. Chapter Nine: Maple Leaf

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, sadly. Read the previous chapters and you'll find that I disclaim the characters as well. I only own Raiken and the rest of the village. The rest are Rumiko Takahashi's idea. Don't sue, I don't have anything anyway. My landlord takes all my money…sue him along with my internet service provider :p

Notes: Continuing on from the previous chapter. I hope that this one came out more smoothly than the last. Thanks again to those who read this story and to those who review it. You reviewers are the only reason I'm continuing this and inspire me to write more Kaede/Raiken moments. Too bad none of you seem to have any websites, otherwise I would have given a special commendation… maybe a Raiken award, lol. Thank you so much for your support. Jul-chan

* * *

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Nine: Maple Leaf

* * *

"I would never leave you. I want you to come with me."

She stared up at him, too stunned by his words to speak.

"What?" she finally managed. He took her hand that was grasping his shirt and squeezed lightly.

"I want you to come with me." He repeated, "I want to show you my people, my village, and importantly my life. It is my entire world and I wish to share it with you, Kaede."

The priestess in his arms stared at him in wide-eyed astonishment. He did not wish to leave her. That part of his declaration her mind had registered. Her heart fluttered at that thought and she wanted to shout to the entire world that she was the happiest woman in the world. Yet that little part of her that worried about her village had pulled at her. Upon mentioning this one little detail, Raiken just smiled. She then knew that he had an answer to that one concern.

"I just knew that you were going to bring that up. It's natural you are concerned, you grew up here. You can always return, you would not have to stay with me. I want you to be as comfortable there as I am here." He kissed her before she could protest. Releasing her lips from captivity by his own, she tried to protest again, but Nidoriko had entered with Hiroshi by her side.

"Don't make any foolish decisions, Kaede. Leave with Raiken, the villagers can care for themselves. Have we not gone over this before?" A smile appeared on the woman's face and Hiroshi looked approvingly at Kaede. Looking between the two, Kaede could not help but think that Nidoriko must have bewitched the boy with her thinking. Sighing she looked up at Raiken with a small smile.

"Sure, I will go with you. But you will have to help me pack."

Two days had passed and Kaede said her goodbyes to the villagers, promising to return someday. Nidoriko was the last to bid her friend farewell and embraced her warmly. Kaede was on the verge of crying when she realized that she was leaving the one who helped her when she trained to be a priestess. When Kaede was about to say something to her long time friend, Nidoriko tweaked her nose and admonished her for thinking such a thing. She took Kaede's hand and held it before stating, "Don't worry, Kaede, I know that we'll meet again."

* * *

After all the goodbyes said, she and Raiken were on their way to his village. It was a three day journey to his home. He spoke with his men about his fight with the demon and the past events in her village, excluding intimate details of course. While he caught up with his men, she hung back and was being entertained by Azuma.. He was a very likable man with a great sense of humor. He regaled her with stories of he and Raiken when they were just young boys escaping the shadow of their guards to find some mischief. One story was of how Raiken had offended a nobleman's daughter by insulting her. He made fun of certain feminine attributes by calling them 'insect bites'. He was rewarded well for his comment. 

"We almost never got the ink washed off." Azuma finished, causing Kaede to lose control of her laughter, for she tried covering it up throughout the story.

"So the charismatic Lord Raiken was not always so charming. This tale certainly takes away that light that seems to shine wherever he walks."

"Perhaps it would to most women who become enamored with the prince. I suppose I should tell this tale more often." He chuckled at the thought of disillusioning love stricken females while Kaede shared in the merriment.

"You are a wonderful story teller. Why is it that you have not been claimed by a nice girl yet?"

Azuma shrugged still holding a small smile. "I simply had not found the right one. Besides, when one travels under Lord Raiken's shadow, it is very hard for a woman to notice me."

Kaede glanced over at Raiken and could almost see Azuma's point, but she was not about to tell him that.

"He is quite handsome, but not enough to dim your good looks. I'm sure that there is some girl who is admiring you from afar somewhere."

Azuma seemed to duck his head in attempt to hide an obvious blush.

"Surely you are joking, Lady Kaede." He muttered as he idly ran a hand over his horse's mane. Kaede pretended to be insulted.

"You think that I, a great priestess would joke on such matters? For shame, I ought to place a curse on you for suggesting such a thing." Her nose even went up in offense. It was comical, he had to chuckle at the picture she made.

"I see that you two are getting along quite nicely." Raiken remarked with eyebrow raised as he appeared next to Kaede. Both Azuma and Kaede shared a smile and nodded.

"Why yes, Azuma was just telling me a little more about your village and people." She responded. It wasn't a complete lie, but he deserved any little falsehood she tossed at him. She may have forgiven him, but she does not forget so easily. Azuma grinned guiltily before taking his place ahead of the group, leaving both prince and priestess together. The two rode together in silence, just enjoying the other's presence. His hand covered hers where it held the reigns to her horse so he could have some kind of physical contact with the woman he came to care so deeply for.

"How are you doing? I know that it has been a long trip with no breaks until dusk. Surely it is very hard on you since you aren't used to such."

She smiled at his concern, her heart fluttering that he cared enough to ask about her comfort. He had been so busy with his men, she had hardly seen him since their trip had started. When they stop for the night, she would be long asleep before she could say a word to him.

"I am doing fine, I suppose. I do admit that I am ready to be done with all of this traveling. Four days is too long for a person to spend on a horse."

He just smiled at her sympathetically before leaning over and claiming her lips with his. After they kissed, he straightened back up and continued to ride beside the priestess. It took every bit of his control to not whisk her away in the forest somewhere.

"If we keep on going, we should be there before sundown." He assured her. She sighed with relief and rewarded him with a grateful smile. Whenever she did that, Raiken really wanted to drag her away. So, to distract himself, he stared upwards only to have a green leaf drift down in front of him. Curious, he studied it to find that it was a small maple leaf. It was a reddish color, a bold contrast to all of the green that surrounded them. He couldn't help but compare it to his priestess. It was vibrant, full of life as the woman beside him. She embodied life itself. Kaede was the only woman he knew to give herself completely to those in need. She cared enough sacrifice her own wants, her own needs to make sure those around her were happy and comfortable. He closed his fist around the leaf and it sprung back instantly. It was strong just like his priestess. Kaede had lived a life of adversity. Her parents died when she was so young, only had her sister left. She lost her right eye and carried scars from the event that caused her to lose it. Shortly afterwards, she lost her sister, her only family. Yet despite it all, she had sprung back after every tragedy, stronger than she was before.

He glanced over to her and watched her marvel in all of the beauty nature had gifted them with. She was beautiful, just like her namesake, the maple leaf he held in his hand. Smiling, he tucked it away into his shirt close to his heart. Kaede happened to catch the look he had on his face and raised her eyebrow quizzically. He just smiled, reached for her hand and squeezed it gently.

"We are almost home."

She just gifted him with a smile that lit her up beautifully, his breath caught in his throat. Kaede was beautiful, and that was one thing that the maple leaf could only hope to compare.

* * *

Note: I was going to write more and have them at his village, but I ran into a block. But this was a good place to leave it. I'm letting the love birds have a moment, because more secrets are to be revealed, and many conflicts will arise. I'm giving Kaede a small break from her emotional roller-coaster… because it's going to be on overdrive later on. Poor Kaede, her life being in the hands of a demented authoress like me. Oh well, as long as you readers are loving this story, I will try not to torture her too much. I love Kaede. Enough rambling. Thank you for reading. Please keep on. Here, have some cookies! Jul-chan 


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